Resurrection
by Selena Snow
Summary: Sequel to Ignition. A new job, a loving boyfriend- what more could Elizabeth Reynolds want? If only things could stay just the way they are…but that's not how it works when you're dating an Avenger. Bucky/OC set after Infinity Wars.
1. Transition

**Transition**

"…why?"

"Because it'll help relieve stress."

"Fine…so I just…squeeze it?"

"You can do whatever you like with it."

"But what if I hurt it?"

"Trust me, you won't."

"Okay…so like that?"

"YES!"

James was smirking, but I was about to slam my head into the wall. "Was that really so difficult?" I demanded.

"Kind of," he said innocently, his mischievous intentions still clear as day on his face.

I rolled my eyes and snatched the stress ball from his hands. "You enjoy making my life frustrating, Barnes."

I could hear him chuckle as I tossed the ball into my closet, and he came up behind me to kiss my cheek. "Just a little bit," he teased. "I have a meeting in ten. See you for dinner?"

"Yup," I popped. I pulled my lab coat off a hanger and put it on as I watched him leave. "Remember to dress nice!"

"I will!" he called back. I grinned, tying my hair back and grabbing my notebooks before I opened the bedroom door. The secretive world of the Avengers opened up before me, and I set off down the hallway in the direction of the laboratories. I caught Ian's eye and waved, noting that a short brunette with glasses and a beanie was standing next to him. He gave me a nervous grin back, and I understood his look. That must have been Darcy, the girl he told me about last week over lunch.

I snickered, gave him a thumbs up, and made a left turn. The training rooms were on my right, and I glanced over at T'Challa and Sam as they spared. I waved through the window, and Sam returned the favor, only to wind up with a punch to the face. Wincing, I opened up the door.

"Sorry, Sam!" I apologized quickly. "Just meant to remind you about your appointment tomorrow."

Grimacing, Sam looked over at me. "Any chance of rescheduling that, 'Liza?"

I shook my head. "Nope. You've been avoiding me and Bruce for three weeks now. It's just a checkup, Sam."

T'Challa wandered over, and he gave me a knowing look. "I'll make sure he goes, Miss Reynolds."

I inclined my head. "Thank you. Just don't beat my patient up too much."

Sam chuckled, reaching up to wipe some sweat off his forehead. "I'm blaming that last hit on you, 'Liza."

Snorting, I turned on my heel and opened the door. "Noted!" I called back. I carried on with my mission, making a right at the end of the hall. After a journey down a black corridor, a wide white hanger was revealed before me, and I looked up to see Vision and Wanda above my head.

"-and focus, Wanda," the android was saying softly. "That's it. Deep breaths are calming for humans. You must be able to breathe if you want to think. Oxygen is necessary for the brain to-"

"Viz, I know," Wanda cut him off gently. Her eyes opened, and I could see that they were filled with red. She sensed my presence immediately, looking down and giving me a smile.

I smiled back. "How's it been going?"

"Wanda's maximum level of suspension has been thirty feet, and her longest sustained flight was just over six minutes," Vision replied mechanically as the pair lowered to the ground in tandem.

Wanda fiddled with her sleeves uncomfortably. "Feels like much longer," she mumbled.

An understanding smile came onto my face. "Progress is progress. Last month, that time was much lower."

"Precisely," Vision intoned. "Sustained flight is much more difficult than temporary leaps and bounds."

A wry smile came onto Wanda's face. "For some of us, it is."

I fought the urge to snort at her little jab. "You'll figure it out soon, I'm sure."

The young woman gave me a smile, and Vision nodded his agreement. I started to leave the hanger, but I turned around to shout, "Don't forget about your appointment in two weeks, Wanda!"

"Thanks!" she called back.

I continued onward, passing through the crowds of agents, diplomats, and scientists like a fly on a wall. Large windows were coming up on my right, and I was unsurprised to see a man in silver armor flying around outside as an enthusiastic looking Thor conjured up a lightning storm. Just as he stopped to give me a nod, an arrow flew past him, followed quickly by a laughing Natasha Romanov and an annoyed looking Clint Barton.

Laughing out loud, I shook my head and looked down at my notes, only to see that I had acquired a passenger.

I stopped walking and quirked an eyebrow. "Since when did you get on board?"

The miniature Scott Lang gave me a shrug before he hopped off. He grew in size before my eyes, then motioned to the mechanics lab I'd stopped in front of. "Getting a lift is faster than walking," he explained before he disappeared behind the door.

I rolled my eyes, then turned when I heard footsteps approaching from behind.

"He does that to everyone," Agent Coulson shrugged calmly. "I found him in my coffee mug two days ago."

I snorted, handing him a file before we continued our walk. "I'm beginning to think that my version of reality is slightly skewed."

Agent Coulson grinned at my comment. "I'm taking it you still haven't settled in, then."

"I have," I replied. "Just still not used to being surrounded by it all. It takes a while to adjust to a new normal."

He nodded, glancing over the file as we paused before a door. "Your last session go okay today?"

"If by okay, you mean that James was trying to push my buttons constantly, then yes, it went okay," I told him with an eye roll. Agent Coulson lifted an eyebrow, and we resumed our steady pace. "I think he just wanted the sessions to be over. After he got used to Google, he found ebooks, and I became pretty obsolete."

"Not entirely," Agent Coulson hummed. We stopped at an intersection, and he gave me a long look. "You've been invaluable, Miss Reynolds. Don't think otherwise."

A chastised look came upon my face. I briefly wondered if he knew how that felt, to be an average person in the midst of legends. Then again, he was a legend in his own right. I nodded after a moment, and he turned to walk down the hall. I spun on my heel and continued on toward the lab in the opposite direction.

It'd been almost five months. Five months since the party at Stark Tower. Four months since the attack on the compound. Three months since we reunited at my apartment. Two months since our first kiss. One month since we'd said "I love you."

And it's been absolutely wonderful.

Of course there were ups and downs. We were still figuring each other out, trying to work out how to best communicate. I was constantly battling anxiety whenever he went out on missions, and he was constantly worried that our being together would somehow endanger me. But in the end, we always got it figured out, and everything was kept in some semblance of normalcy.

Valentine's Day had been a few weeks ago, and that had been even greater than I expected. As I went down the hallway, I indulged myself in my memories.

 _"Is this really necessary?" I questioned him._

 _I could hear him snort. "For you? Yes." His grip on my hand was firm as he guided me through what I assumed was a series of hallways. I didn't actually know, though, because he'd decided that a blindfold was necessary for his Valentine's plans._

 _"Almost there," he mumbled. I rolled my eyes, even though he couldn't see it. Sometimes I thought this man would be the end of me, pulling silly stunts like this._

 _We came to a sudden halt, and at that moment, I picked up on his labored breathing. I focused on where our hands touched, searching for his pulse. After a moment, I felt it. It was high._

 _"Honey, are you okay?" I asked._

 _He had a nervous laugh. "What gave it away?"_

 _"A few things," I replied. "There's no need to be worried, James. I'm sure I'll love it."_

 _I felt his presence grow closer, and his lips came near my ear as his hands worked the knot loose. "I hope," he breathed. The blindfold fell away, and my heart warmed._

 _It was my old space, looking just like I remembered it before the attack. The same giant sectional was there, along with a basket of blankets and plenty of books. I noted a few touches of his own, such as a leather chair and his favorite records stacked up nice and neat next to a player. His arms came around me from behind, and I fell back into his warm embrace._

 _He swallowed nervously. "Do you like it? It took a while to reconstruct, they had to take care of more vital areas of the compound first, whatever that means-"_

 _"I love it, James," I replied. "Thank you."_

I couldn't help the large grin on my face. Though everyone else saw him as Mr. Tough Guy, I saw him as he truly was— utterly adorable and considerate. And handsome, of course. And kind, and sweet, and gentle. And so supportive and understanding, and—

"Daydream over, Lizzie pop!"

My eyes blinked, and I realized that a certain billionaire genius was in my path.

"S-Sorry, Tony, I was lost in my thoughts," I stuttered.

He gave me a knowing look. "Mhmm. Any particular thoughts I should be aware of?"

I flashed a cautionary glance at him. "None at all."

"Good," Tony cleared his throat. "Wouldn't want to hear any…thoughts in the night."

I rolled my eyes. "You know that he and I—"

"Right right, 1940's gentleman, I gotcha," Tony winked at me. "You on the way to see the big green monster?"

I nodded, shuffling the notes in my arms. "As should you. He mentioned you haven't been down to see him in a while."

Tony shrugged and put his hands in his pockets. "Been busy, Lizzie. Always am, always will be."

"Wedding planning?" I queried hopefully.

"Err…something along those lines," he replied vaguely. "Planning an event of some sort, at least." He paused at an intersection in the hallway and patted my shoulder before he headed off in the other direction. "Say hi to Brucey for me!"

I laughed and made the final turn to the laboratories. There was never a quiet day around here.

* * *

 **Welcome back, friends! I hope you're ready for it all- action, drama romance, the works! As always, I upload every Saturday and will reply to every review left for me. Remember that I'm totally open to suggestions, ideas, etc. Enjoy!**


	2. Solution

**Solution**

DarylDixon'sLover: Hello friend! So excited to see you again!

FanGirlForever19: Well let me know when you have ideas! Also, this is random, but your profile picture made reminded me to tell you to anticipate a lot more Steve in this one!

alliesmiley2: Thank you! I hope you continue to enjoy!

* * *

 _"Err…something along those lines," he replied vaguely. "Planning an event of some sort, at least." He paused at an intersection in the hallway and patted my shoulder before he headed off in the other direction. "Say hi to Brucey for me!"_

 _I laughed and made the final turn to the laboratories. There was never a quiet day around here._

The door shut behind me, and as per our norm, Bruce's back was to me.

"You're later than usual," he hummed lightly.

I shrugged, tossing my notes onto a side table. "Had to make a few stops on the way," I replied. I took my time putting on a pair of latex gloves before I added on, "And the lab isn't exactly close to my room."

I could hear him snort. "Trust me, I know." The doctor finally turned around, and I noticed the book in his hand. "Remind me to show you my shortcuts sometime."

"There are shortcuts?" I groaned. "Why didn't anyone tell me about them?"

"Most people don't know they exist," Bruce shrugged.

I came around the table and leaned against it. "Well that's a comfort…what's that?"

Bruce held up the book, which I suddenly recognized. "One from your collection. Finally got around to your recommendation, and—"

"And?" I cut him off eagerly. "What do you think?"

The doctor sighed, one of his hands coming up to rub his eyes behind his glasses. "I don't know, Eliza. This is a total case study on our hands. There's no data, no systems, no research—"

"Every field begins like that," I insisted, coming forward and crossing my arms. "You have to start somewhere."

I watched as Bruce's eyes flickered back down to the pages. He was contemplating, I could tell. The gears in his head were grinding together, so much that I could almost hear them. He still wasn't sure. But I knew him. He had a heart of gold. He wouldn't just give up, right?

"Just think it over, that's all I ask," I swallowed. "He's doing better, but he still feels chained to his past. If we can get the words out-"

" _If_ , Eliza," Bruce interrupted. "That's a big if. You're asking to rewrite over seventy years of psychological programming."

I felt my own brain begin to whir in overtime as I ran it all through my head again, this massive idea that had been forming over the past month. "I'm not asking to rewrite it— all pathways in the brain are permanent. But it's been years since the words were last used, they're getting old, worn down. If we can put a blocker—"

Bruce shook his head. "Already asked her. Wanda said it's too dangerous."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Alright. What if we pulled an inception- put something in?"

"Create a new neural pathway?" Bruce asked. "Eliza, do you know what they had to do to—"

"Yes, I do," I stated firmly. "And I'm not suggesting we act like HYDRA. We find our own technique, ingrain a call off word, something that would make him feel safe."

Bruce was shaking his head again as he walked away, and I felt my hopes plummeting. "I'm just not sure, Eliza. What if something goes wrong? What if he winds up worse than before?"

I fought to keep my jaw unclenched. "I'm not sure there is much worse."

I heard him sigh, and then the sound of the textbook falling onto the lab table. He walked back over to me, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder when he was near. "We'll keep researching, okay? They didn't give up on me, and we won't give up on him."

I managed to meet his eyes. Sincerity burned bright in them, and my worries went away. "Thank you."

Bruce smiled, his eyes crinkling. He pushed his glasses up his nose and began to wander to the other side of the lab as he said, "You've been a God-sent, Eliza. It's the least I can do."

Smiling, I made my way over to my station. The hours passed smoothly, the only interruption being a new intern awkwardly stumbling their way into the wrong room. It was just past five when I began packing up my things and handing final reports over to Bruce.

"See you tomorrow," I said as I walked toward the door. "And Tony said hi!" I called back.

I could practically hear Bruce trip. "Wait, he's here? Eliza-!"

Laughing, I let the door fall behind me. I turned to make a left, but the jingling of a collar alerted me of an energetic presence. I looked to my right to see an excited Benjamin bounding up to greet me.

I dropped to my knees and set the papers aside. "Hello there, sir!" I greeted cheerfully, scratching behind his ears. "Did you run off again? I swear, if James leaves his door open one more time-"

"Don't worry," a familiar voice came. I glanced up and saw Steve approaching, his hands stuffed in his pockets. He leaned down and patted Benjamin on the head. "I was just showing him around."

I hummed understandingly. "James ask you to?"

Steve nodded the affirmative. "Didn't want Ben stuck in the room while you two were out tonight. You nervous?"

After collecting my notes, I stood and began to walk back toward the residential area with Steve. "A little bit," I answered honestly. "It's always scary introducing your parents to your boyfriend…and it seems even more so because he's not exactly…well…"

"Normal," Steve filled in for me. I gave him a pained look, and he held up a hand. "It's okay— it's what we are. If we were normal, we wouldn't be Avengers. No need to act otherwise."

I sighed. "I guess you have a point— for once."

Steve laughed, and the conversation came to a lull as we entered a crowd of people. We made our way through the maze of corridors, Benjamin happily trotting alongside us. I could hear the metallic clang of his little prosthetic boot on the floor, and couldn't help but smile. Tony always went above and beyond for the people he cared about.

Once we got into the residential area, I sensed a shift in Steve's attitude. His shoulders dropped, and the persona of Captain America faded away.

"You know," he said suddenly. "I've been thinking-"

"Oh dear," I deadpanned.

He gave me an amused look, but continued. "I've been thinking I could try one of those dating apps everyone keeps talking about."

I made a face. "I don't know, Steve. You're pretty recognizable— anyone would see your profile and know who you are in two seconds."

"So not as good of an idea as I thought," he sighed.

We stopped outside my door, and I gave him a sympathetic look. "You'll find someone, Steve. I'm sure of it." His posture told me he didn't believe me, so I reached out and patted his shoulder mock-patronizingly. That made him laugh.

I smiled at him. "There you go. You know, my dad used to tell me, 'I didn't meet your mom until I met her'."

Steve's eyes met mine, and I saw some understanding click. He took the words in for a moment, then nodded. "Well," he started, "I hope to meet her soon. Being a third wheel really isn't my style."

Snorting, I stepped forward to pass into my room. "Drama king," I tossed back. The door shut behind me, and I heard Benjamin barking after Steve as they walked away.

I shook my head with amusement as I set my notes down on my desk. My eyes glanced over at the clock and took in the numbers. I could get ready for dinner with my family and James within twenty minutes, right? A familiar strand of pearls gleamed at me from my dresser. I could do it.


	3. Affirmation

**Affirmation**

DarylDixon'sLover and FanGirlForever19: I got both of your reviews at the exact same time, and I burst out laughing because you both felt bad for the character in your corresponding icon! You two are the best!

* * *

 _Steve's eyes met mine, and I saw some understanding click. He took the words in for a moment, then nodded. "Well," he started, "I hope to meet her soon. Being a third wheel really isn't my style."_

 _Snorting, I stepped forward to pass into my room. "Drama king," I tossed back. The door shut behind me, and I heard Benjamin barking after Steve as they walked away._

 _I shook my head with amusement as I set my notes down on my desk. My eyes glanced over at the clock and took in the numbers. I could get ready for dinner with my family and James within twenty minutes, right? A familiar strand of pearls gleamed at me from my dresser. I could do it._

When the door opened up to reveal James, I was hopping around putting on a pair of boots. I turned to look at him and saw that he was leant against the door, an amused smile on his face.

"Shut up," I laughed. "These aren't easy to get on."

He held up his hands silently in defeat. Smiling, I came over and smoothed down his collar. I glanced over his outfit and gave an approving nod. "You look nice."

"Thanks," James grinned. "Steve mentioned that you prefer me in grey."

I tried to hide the confirming twinkle in my eyes by turning around and grabbing my pearl necklace. "I might have dropped a hint. Sometimes you listen to him more than you do me."

He snorted. "Do not-"

"Do too!" I retorted with a grin. I held the necklace up, and James complied with my request. He crossed the distance between us and took the necklace into his hands. I turned around and held my hair out of his way.

"Still don't know why you can't get these things on," he mumbled, fiddling with the clasp.

I hummed. "Had to start clipping my nails- the tapping drove Bruce crazy."

"Huh," he replied. "Didn't know that." The clasp was latched in place, and I turned around to kiss him on the cheek in thanks. I stepped back to grab my things, but a hand pulled me back in.

I found myself nose to nose with him, and I couldn't help but giggle when I saw the look in his eyes. "James, we have to go."

"We have a minute," he hummed, then captured my lips with his. Our lips moved in tandem as we grasped at each other desperately. My hands ran through his hair, and I felt his moving over my back. My worries of the day were swallowed up in excitement, and I suddenly found myself wishing we didn't have to go to dinner at all. After a moment more, we separated and laughed breathlessly.

"You're ridiculous," I said, shaking my head before I pecked his nose. He just grinned, softly pressing a kiss to my forehead. I shut my eyes in bliss, enjoying the moment to breathe in his scent and simply relax.

A moment passed before I whispered, "Okay, we actually need to go now, though."

James let out a tiny groan, leaned down to kiss me once more, and pouted, "Fine, if we must."  
I laughed and pushed myself away from his hold. I walked over to the mirror, checking my makeup to ensure no one could tell what had just happened. After grabbing my purse and coat, James caught my hand and lead me out of the room.

We made our way down the hall in silence, content to just be in each other's presence. Our busy schedules always limited our time together, which is probably why we hadn't gotten around to this yet. We had just gotten on the plane when I started to pick up on some fidgeting.

I squeezed his hand tight, giving him a reassuring smile. "It's going to be okay, James. There's only so many topics that can be covered during dinner. Just be yourself."

James shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "You forget that you're the social one in our relationship."

"Oh trust me, I didn't forget," I teased. "But I love you for you, and I'm sure that they will, too."

His eyes met mine, and they shined with gratefulness. "I love you, Eliza."

I leaned over to kiss his cheek. "I love you too, James." The flight continued without interruption, and soon we were driving down the crowded New York City streets. Once we got into lower Manhattan, I directed James to a parking deck near the restaurant. We walked to the restaurant with hats on and heads down, entirely aware that a mere sighting of us could spark a paparazzi storm.

When we walked in, I gave the reservation name as James stood with his back turned. The host gave him a funny look, but I ignored it. We were lead back to a private room, and only when the curtain closed behind us did James release the breath he'd been holding. After checking the windows with a cursory glance, I went to stand in front of him. I took his hands in mine and leaned up to kiss him.

"Breathe," I whispered after our lips parted. "Everything will be just fine."

"But what if it isn't—"

I shook my head. "You can't think like that, James. We're perfectly safe here- no one's out to get us."

A grin slowly grew on his lips. "Your dad, maybe."

I laughed and pushed against his chest. "Don't worry about him, he's not gonna threaten you. Just take your seat and relax, okay?"

He did as he was told, but only after he first pulled out my chair. We waited in silence, both of us scanning over the menu. I could feel his knee begin to rattle around nervously, but I put a hand on it to calm him down. Just as I was about to tell him to be calm, the curtain was pulled back to reveal my family.

"Eliza!" my mom greeted. I stood up from the table and gave her a hug, smiling widely. My dad hugged me just as soon as I let go of Mom, patting me on the head like he used to do when I was little. After he released me, I made eye contact with my younger brother. Dressed in a sharp collared shirt and slacks, he didn't exactly look like I remembered. I vaguely wondered when he'd stopped wearing hoodies all the time.

But then, he rolled his eyes before he hugged me with a begrudging look. Cackling, I made sure to rough up his hair when I let go. "And here I thought mister-college-student was all grown up," I said sarcastically.

David crinkled his nose. "Doesn't mean I have to like hugging my sister." I grinned before I turned to look at how James was doing. He was shaking hands with my father— right hand, I noticed immediately.

"So…that's really him?" my brother mock whispered. "That's the assassin dude?"

I punched him lightly in the shoulder. " _Former_ assassin, thank you very much. And a current Avenger."

Aaron managed to give an impressed look before he said, "Meh, I thought he'd be taller."

Laughing, I walked around to resume sitting in my place next to James. When I sat down, I glanced at his face. He had the look of serenity mastered, but I could still detect some fear in his eyes. I reached over and squeezed his hand, unsurprised when he squeezed back tightly.

Once everyone had sat down, I cleared my throat. "Did you guys find the restaurant okay?"

"Dad took a wrong turn at the church two blocks down," Aaron replied immediately, taking a sip of his water.

I snorted and looked to my dad for confirmation of this fact. His face gave nothing away, but my mother's exasperated expression did.

"Well, I'm just glad that you found a place for us to eat," she commented.

I nodded. "Of course. All the gluten free menu items are marked with-"

"Mhm, I see it," my mom hummed.

We settled into a semi-awkward silence as we all scanned the menu. It didn't take long before James sought out my hand to hold under the table. After the waiter came by and took our orders, there was an expectant air around the table. My dad opened his mouth to speak, but was beat to the punch.

"So did you really get your arm blown off by Tony Stark?" my brother blurted.

My mom's head whipped around. "Aaron-!"

"Yes," James replied, clearing his throat.

Aaron's eyes narrowed. "But that doesn't make any sense. Vibranium is supposed to be the strongest metal in the world. How did an arc reactor blow it to pieces?"

James suddenly looked overwhelmed, and I leaned over close to his ear. "He's a science major," I whispered.

Understanding came onto his face, and he swallowed. "Yeah, it took me by surprise, too. Although I don't really know much about all of that stuff. It sort of just…happened."

My brother looked like he wanted to ask more, but a stern look from my mother made him shut his mouth. Silence fell over the table. With awkwardness looming on the horizon, my dad stepped up to the plate.

His hands folded and his gaze steady, my dad leaned forward and asked, "So how have things been at work, Elizabeth?"

I took a sip of water before I answered. "Things have been good," I replied vaguely. "There's always something to be done, but I prefer it that way."

My dad nodded before he shifted his gaze to James. "And you? I haven't heard any catastrophic news lately, so I assume things are well."

James laughed lightly. "You could say that, yes. It's a good thing when you don't hear from us."

Nodding once more, my dad motioned around the table. "I don't want you to be worried about us, Mr. Barnes. We're a pretty normal family, if I do say so myself. And if Elizabeth likes you, I'm sure we will, too."

I watched James' shoulders fall from their tense position. "Thank you, sir."

My dad let silence settle for a bit again. I could tell he was contemplating something, running an idea through his head. He cleared his throat before he asked, "And what about your family? What were they like?"

I felt my heart stop. I fought the urge to look at James' reaction. His tight grip on my hand told me everything I needed to know. My thumb ran over the metal seams, hoping that it would calm him down some.

"They…" he trailed off. "We were pretty normal, too, I guess. I grew up in Queens, oldest of four brothers, well, five, counting Steve."

I smiled at his little comment. Then suddenly, James' eyes fell on me. The wistfulness they carried sent a dagger to my heart. "My parents were great, too. I think they would've liked her."

I reached out and squeezed his hand again, if only to try to fight back the tears that were welling up in my eyes. After that, the conversation leveled out and continued at an acceptable rate. Eventually, the goodbyes were said, and we went back to the airstrip, flew home, and walked to my room. One goodnight kiss later, I was lying in bed thinking over the night. We weren't going to be a normal couple, and that was okay. We would do the very best we could, because that was all we could do. And that would be more than enough.


	4. Miscalculation

**Miscalculation**

DarylDixon'sLover: Thanks! Now get ready for pain.

FanGirlForever19: So glad you ship it! Sometimes it's hard to have a good OC who is actually shippable with the character.

* * *

 _I smiled at his little comment. Then suddenly, James' eyes fell on me. The wistfulness they carried sent a dagger to my heart. "My parents were great, too. I think they would've liked her."_

 _I reached out and squeezed his hand again, if only to try to fight back the tears that were welling up in my eyes. After that, the conversation leveled out and continued at an acceptable rate. Eventually, the goodbyes were said, and we went back to the airstrip, flew home, and walked to my room. One goodnight kiss later, I was lying in bed thinking over the night. We weren't going to be a normal couple, and that was okay. We would do the very best we could, because that was all we could do. And that would be more than enough._

"Alpha Team, do you read me?"

"Loud and clear, boss," Sam's voice sounded throughout the room.

I could feel my heart racing, but I focused on the monitors in front of me. The same agent that had glared at me a few minutes ago was now glaring again, but I wasn't about to stop tapping my foot. The man that held my heart was out on that mission— I figured I had a right to be nervous.

"Beta Team, do you copy?" another agent called out.

"Gotcha, skipper," Tony replied cheerfully. "Honestly, how much security does a prime minister need these days?"

"A lot more than you'd think, Tony," I muttered under my breath. It was only when Agent Coulson sent me an understanding look that I realized my comment had been louder than intended.

He stepped up to a mic and pressed a button. "You ever heard of this little tussle in the Middle East, Tony?"

There was an audible snort. "Nah, I spent three months in a cave for fun."

I swallowed hard, my leg starting to shake up and down. Hearing the casual banter almost made things worse, like they were ignoring the danger of the situation. They entered the prime minister's temporary residence, and silence fell over the control room.

My eyes scanned the monitors, taking in the different views available. Tony and Rhodes were approaching the prime minister and his family inside, while Steve's camera showed that he and Sam were walking the perimeter outside. But more importantly, I could see James' perspective from his place high above the home on a hillside. His sniper in front of him, he lied in wait with more patience than I could ever muster. My heart swelled with pride, but I forced myself to listen as Tony's voice came over the com.

"I know you're longing to get home, mister PM," he was saying.

Seconds later, Rhodes added on, "Just follow our lead, okay? We'll get you and your family out safely."

"Yeah, out of this rusted junkyard of an embassy," Tony mumbled.

I suddenly heard a grunt, and I looked over at James' screen. He was shifting, shaking almost. Anxiety rose in my heart, but I beat it down. There was no reason to worry.

"We have eyes on you," Steve's voice came over as the Beta Team left the main living room.

"Too bad Peter couldn't come," Sam quipped. "We could use a fly on the wall."

Tony tsked. "Nah, the kid couldn't make it— something about school. What is he, seventeen?"

James' screen indicated that he was moving again. My brows furrowed together. What was he doing? Why would he be changing his position?

But the thing was, he wasn't moving to get a better view. I watched in confusion as he stood up, the sniper long forgotten. His arms went up, almost as though they were searching for— the earpiece was in his hand. I caught the sound of heavy breathing. Something was wrong.

My wide eyes met Agent Coulson's calm gaze. He tilted his head at me, and I pointed to the screen. He stepped forward suddenly, pressing the button.

"Barnes, put it back in," he commanded loudly. "It's our only way to communicate with you."

There was hesitation. I wanted to be there to see him, to make sure he was okay. But I was stuck here, forced to watch.

"Wait, Barnes hasn't even been listening?" Tony questioned. "And here I thought we'd be getting back before daybreak."

It all happened at once. James yelled. I ran forward to the mic. But then, we heard the tell tale crunch of metal.

"Barnes' device is dead, sir!" an agent shouted.

My eyes, hard as stone within a second, turned to Agent Coulson. "What is going on?"

He paused. "I'm not sure."

My heart was racing, but I looked back at the screens. Sam and Steve were still circling the building, and Tony and Rhodes were walking through the halls with the prime minister. I forced my eyes to glance at James' screen, only to find that he was just as we left him. His hands seemed to be covering his ears, and he was muttering something over and over.

It took me a moment before it clicked. He was repeating his name and identification numbers. It was happening.

My feet took me to stand in front of Agent Coulson. He looked ready to dismiss me, but I cut him off. "What languages were used for the words?"

"Excuse me?" he replied.

"The words Hydra used to control James," I clarified. "What languages did they use?"

Agent Coulson looked befuddled. "No one knows for sure, Eliza. All we know is Russian, German, and more recently with Pierce—"

He stopped suddenly, his eyes growing wide in understanding. "…English."

"Get Steve," I demanded. "He has to know, someone has to get to him."

Nodding, he turned and spoke into a mic. "Captain Rogers? This is urgent— we believe Barnes may be activated."

"What do you mean activated?" he asked.

Agent Coulson stepped out of the way, and I took his place. "His Winter Soldier programming," I said urgently. "I've seen the list. Some of the first words were in your conversation, in order."

I heard Steve curse under his breath. "Where is he?"

"On the southeast hilltop," Agent Coulson replied. "Get there."

Steve's camera view nodded up and down. "Understood. I'll-"

"Cap, on your sixth!" Sam shouted.

I watched as the mission fell into disarray before my eyes. Gun shots sounded throughout the room, mere echoes of what was actually going on. All of the screens became blurry, any semblance of a scene lost in the pace of battle.

"My wings are shot!" Sam called. "Rhodes, get over here to give us some backup!"

"I can't— the prime minister isn't to the car yet!" Rhodes shouted back.

I covered my eyes, whispering a quick prayer under my breath. They'd been through worse, they'd get out alive. But then I looked back up at James' screen. Nothing had changed. It was almost like he didn't even hear what was going on. He was too caught up in the pain of his own mind.

"Where's Barnes?" Tony yelled. "They got a sniper on the northwest rooftop! We can't move until he's out!"

"He can't hear us," Steve reported, a grunt following. "I gotta go get him, but I'm a little busy over here."

"We can't wait any longer," Tony replied. "We gotta get them to safety now."

I cast my eyes to Agent Coulson. "They're not gonna make it," he breathed. He leaned down to the mic, ordering, "Stay where you are. The prime minister is our top priority. If he dies, we fail."

"Go get Bucky, Steve," Sam commanded suddenly. "I can handle it down here."

After some hesitation, Steve's camera showed that he obeyed. He worked his way up the steep hillside, grunting with his exertion. Just when it looked like he was about to get to the top, a new set of bullets was firing off.

"We can't stay here," Rhodes insisted. "They're about to break through the roof. We're moving now."

My heart rate threatened to increase once more, but then I heard Steve's gentle voice.

"Buck, calm down."

I looked up and saw Steve's screen. On it stood James, his expression one of pure distress. My heart broke.

"The words, Steve," he was saying. "They're messing with me. I can't-"

"Yes you can, Bucky," Steve replied. "Block them out. We need you right now."

Just when my hope was starting to build again, Rhodes' voice echoed through the room.

"Moving in three-"

Agent Coulson stepped forward. "Delay that order."

"Can't," Tony said. "Two-"

"Snap out of it, Buck!" Steve was saying.

"Cap, better hurry!" Sam shouted.

"One."

I watched in horror as Rhodes and Tony charged out of the building, the prime minister and his family in tow. It happened in slow motion. A gunman rounded the corner, semi-automatic ready to fire. Both suited men held up their hands to stop him, but he wasn't aiming at them.

Then, a shot rang out.

My eyes flew to James' screen. He was back behind the sniper.

Several more shots rang out, and the room went silent. The gunman fell to the ground.

I felt my body fall back in a chair, and I let out a heavy breath. That had been way too close of a call.


	5. Correction

**Correction**

FanGirlForever19: Glad you liked it! I don't often write action, but it was a nice challenge!

Love . Fiction . 2018: Thanks and welcome!

* * *

 _I watched in horror as Rhodes and Tony charged out of the building, the prime minister and his family in tow. It happened in slow motion. A gunman rounded the corner, semi-automatic ready to fire. Both suited men held up their hands to stop him, but he wasn't aiming at them._

 _Then, a shot rang out._

 _My eyes flew to James' screen. He was back behind the sniper._

 _Several more shots rang out, and the room went silent. The gunman fell to the ground._

 _I felt my body fall back in a chair, and I let out a heavy breath. That had been way too close of a call._

When I woke up Saturday morning, I felt the way I had been feeling for the past three days— unsettled. It wasn't that anything was particularly wrong…not really. But something wasn't right. I reached for my glasses and slid them on, staring out the window mindlessly. My eyes drifted to a framed picture on the bedside table, and a pang of hurt shot through my heart. To say that things had been off lately would be an understatement, that was for sure. I ran the same thought through my head again. Just because nothing was wrong didn't mean that things were right.

Sighing, I rolled out of bed and went over to my desk to check my phone. I tried to ignore how my heart wilted when there wasn't a single notification on the screen. I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath. Just because I hadn't heard from him didn't mean that his feelings for me had changed. After all, this wasn't too uncommon. Every now and then, James needed a break. He would shut himself off in his room, become quiet, read for hours on end, or something like that. He was an introvert, it's just how he worked.

'Yeah, but he usually lets you know before he does that,' my mind reminded me tauntingly. 'He's avoiding you.'

I shook my head and opened my eyes. He wouldn't avoid me, that just wasn't in his nature. I stared at myself in the mirror, trying to ram this reasoning into my head. But it wouldn't work. After a moment had passed, I let out a heavy sigh and walked toward my closet. I tugged on a loose tunic and a pair of jeans, figuring that going down to the residential kitchen in my pajamas would be unprofessional, even if technically it'd be just fine.

I went over to my bathroom and brushed my teeth. A few minutes later, my feet had just slipped into a pair of shoes when my phone buzzed. Swallowing, I walked over to my desk and opened up the text.

James  
Can you come to my room?

I took in a sharp breath before I replied.

Eliza  
Be there in two minutes.

I considered throwing on some mascara, but realized that I didn't honestly care at this point. It didn't matter if I had my hair and makeup perfect or if I'd just gotten out of bed— whatever he needed me for, it didn't matter what I looked like. With this thought in mind, I put my phone in my back pocket and exited my room.

As anticipated, it took a brief descent down a staircase and a walk down the hallway to reach his door. I knocked, my heart feeling oddly numb. The door slid open, and I found an empty room.

My eyebrow quirked of its own accord. "James? Hello?"

"In here," the muffled call came. I looked to my right, seeing that the bathroom door was cracked. After some hesitation, I walked over and pushed it open, only to blush immediately.

James was sat on a bench inside his shower, a towel wrapped around his waist. He looked up when I walked in, and I could immediately tell that something was wrong.

"Hi," I greeted awkwardly. I leaned against the doorframe and clasped my hands in front of me, my eyes going to every place in the bathroom that wasn't him.

I heard him laugh softly, but I still didn't look. "Sorry, I probably should have told you why I needed you."

"And that reason is?" I questioned.

"I-I, um…"

I forced my eyes to look at him, suddenly seeing how helpless he appeared. I crossed the distance between us and sat down beside him, looking at him expectantly. "Yes?"

He hung his head slightly. "I can't take a shower with my arm exposed," he mumbled, his head nodding to my left. My eyes glanced over, and I saw a sort of plastic cast lying in pieces in a basket. "Usually I got Steve or Sam to help me, but-"

"They're out this morning," I finished for him. He nodded slowly, and I felt my heart begin to thaw. In a tough spot in our relationship or not, James needed my help, and I wasn't going to just leave him.

I got up and gathered the pieces from the basket, examining them. I noted the numerals indicating the order in which they went, as well as the Stark Industries logo proudly displayed across each one. I sat back down next to him on his left side, pulling out the piece marked number one.

As I began to snap the pieces together, I hummed, "I didn't know you had to have this."

He shrugged his right shoulder. "Metal rusts," he stated simply. "And I didn't know if you'd be comfortable with it."

A blush spread across my face once more, but I fought it back. "Well, you learn something new every day."

The process of putting the pieces together continued in silence, with James breaking in every now and then to help me figure out where a section went. I began putting on the final piece when he inhaled suddenly.

"I'm sorry," he murmured.

I glanced up and saw that his eyes had shut. "What for?" I asked curiously.

A small smile came onto his face. "Oh, a few things," he joked lightly. His eyes opened, and I saw gratitude overflowing. "But mostly for the other night."

My heart nearly stopped. "You're welcome, honey," I replied, my tone nonchalant as I snapped in the final piece. But he caught my hand, and I made myself meet his eyes.

"No one else knew it was happening," he whispered. "But you knew. You knew something was wrong."

I swallowed hard. "It's my job to know."

His head tilted. He knew my voice was far too casual sounding. "You memorized the list, didn't you?"

Feeling bashful, I ducked my head. "I might have looked it over a few times."

There was a brief moment before I felt warm lips press against my forehead. I looked up and saw shining blue eyes, accompanied by a beautiful smile.

"Thank you, Eliza," he said earnestly.

The smile forming on my face was inescapable. "You're welcome, honey." I leaned forward and captured his lips briefly, appreciating the chance to run a hand over his bare chest.

He let go of me moments later, whispering, "And I'm sorry for the past few days. I didn't know how to bring it up."

"Just tell me, James," I replied softly. "I'm always here to listen."

"Thank you," he sighed, relief evident in his tone. "Now…" he trailed off mischievously. "You might want to leave before you get a certain view."

Laughing, I stood up and began to walk toward the door. "Oh, the horror!" I gasped.

When I heard him snickering, I turned around and leaned against the doorframe. "I'll meet you in the kitchen for breakfast, okay?"

He nodded quickly. "Of course. I love you."

"I love you, too," I grinned, turning around and shutting the door behind me. I wandered over to James' bed, noting how the pillows were scrunched up at the top. A gentle smile came onto my face. I vaguely wondered how he slept, and if there would be room for me to join him one day.

My thoughts of the future was interrupted by a knock at the door. I raised an eyebrow, but decided to go open it anyway. When I did, I was met with a dubious expression and a goatee.

"Hope I didn't interrupt anything," Tony said, waggling his eyebrows.

I gave him a deadpan look. "So sorry to say you didn't."

"Mm, bummer," he drawled as he walked past me into the room. I folded my arms and watched as he took in the room, scrunching his nose at the messy state.

After rolling my eyes, I asked, "Do you have a reason for being here or did you just feel the overwhelming need to say hi?"

I got my response in the form of a folder. Confused, I took it from his hand and opened it.

It took a moment before I gave him a dubious look. "…and the importance of an island is?"

Tony snapped his fingers at me. "Bingo. We need to get away, have a little R&R, rebalance our chakras or whatever it's called."

"It's February, Tony."

"And you're a party pooper, Lizzie," he chided. "After that disaster a few days ago-"

"-which you enabled-"

"-unintentionally, Lizzie," he corrected. "That disaster showed just why we need a break. It's too tense around here."

I sighed, unwilling to admit that he was right. I'd seen the bleak winter's effect slowly grow on the team. I glanced back down at the file, taking in pictures of a beach covered in white sand.

Sighing once more, I caved. "Well, maybe a few days might be okay-"

"Good, we leave tomorrow."


	6. Fabrication

**Fabrication**

WildestDreams72394: I'm glad you like it! We're slowing down a bit this week to back off of the drama, so enjoy.

kuppcake: I knew that the sequel would come pretty naturally, but I'm definitely needing Black Panther to come out soon to give me extra motivation.

Guest: Your wish is my command! Also, if you don't have an account, I highly recommend getting one. It's helps you keep up with your favorite stories so much better- also, you can chat with me about anything you'd like to see in this story!

FanGirlForever19: I love how you picked up on the vacation foreshadowing- for now, enjoy it, but prepare yourself in the next few weeks.

Fiore-Bambina: Thanks, and welcome aboard!

Rohirrim Girl 2187: Yes, that was entirely intentional! It was actually quite difficult to get all the words in order, but I knew that it would work to a dramatic effect.

Love Fiction 2018: Haha no, and don't plan on reading about them doing the deed. I keep things pretty clean in my stories.

Demigod-Gallagher-Girl: Yes, Bucky is the best! I really hope he shows up in Black Panther.

Ariel-Sarina-Jen: Thank you so much! I'm glad you're enjoying it, and I plan on keeping it going!

* * *

 _"-unintentionally, Lizzie," he corrected. "That disaster just showed why we need a break. It's too tense around here."_

 _I sighed, unwilling to admit that he was right. I'd seen the bleak winter's effect slowly grow on the team. I glanced back down at the file, taking in pictures of a beach covered in white sand._

 _Sighing once more, I caved. "Well, maybe a few days might be okay-"_

 _"Good, we leave tomorrow."_

"-so I was wondering if it'd be okay for me to go."

"Fine by me," Coulson shrugged. I quirked an eyebrow, taking time to study his casual stance against the wall as he flipped through a new file. I tapped a finger against my desk to draw his attention back to what I said. When his expression continued to be unfazed, I cleared my throat.

"…just like that?" I questioned. "You're fine with me going off to an island for a few days?"

He flipped the file shut and met my eyes, a bored expression on his face. "Miss Reynolds, I've been dealing with Stark for over a decade. I couldn't stop him if I tried." He strolled over to the door and put a hand on the handle, glancing back at me. "Besides, you haven't taken any vacation time yet, might as well now."

I fought to hide the grin on my face by clearing my throat. "Thank you, sir."

He nodded at me. "Enjoy your trip, Miss Reynolds."

* * *

An hour later, I was stood with my hands on my hips and my foot tapping anxiously against the floor as I stared down my suitcase. I ran a thousand different items through my head, mentally checking off each and every one from the list. Satisfied that I'd gotten everything, I zipped the suitcase shut and pulled it off my bed.

I heard a knock at the door and turned to shout, "Come in!"

The door opened, and Steve walked through, hands in his pockets. "Do you think I need to bring a cell phone charger?" he asked immediately.

I looked up from my suitcase and gave him a puzzled look. "Uh, yeah, kind of. You're going to be away for a few days. Phones don't last that long, Steve."

He wrinkled his nose. "Really? But the battery never runs out on it."

I pulled my suitcase up behind me, grabbing my purse on the way out of the room. "Yeah, well, you don't seem to use it that much."

"True," he agreed as he followed me down the hall. "I'll borrow Buck's if I need one." I snorted, shaking my head. We walked down the staircase in sync and arrived in the living area not a moment too soon. It seemed that most everyone else was already down at the airstrip.

James came up to me and smiled, barely taking a moment to glance at Steve. "You're late," he teased after kissing me on the forehead.

I stuck my tongue out. "Had to talk to Coulson and pack. I was worried he'd say no. After all, Bruce decided he can't come until Wednesday."

"You've earned time off," James assured me. He picked up my suitcase and took my hand, cueing for Steve to walk beside us.

I glanced around the halls as we passed through, still running my packing list through my head. "Did we get someone to take care of-"

"Benjamin? Yes," James nodded. "And I packed sunscreen for you."

I snorted. "It's not for me, honey. I don't burn."

Steve cast me a curious look. "How come?"

"Mixed heritage," I replied with a shrug. "I'm half Native American. Did neither of you ever wonder why I had curly hair?"

The best friends shared a glance before Steve said, "…no?"

I laughed loudly, not caring how it echoed throughout the hanger. "I think we need to sit down and play two truths and a lie."

Little did I know that this game would be a hit among Earth's mightiest heroes.

"I'm calling BS!" Tony was shouting thirty minutes later.

Sam sat back in his chair with a smug grin. "Nah man, it's true. I was passing by, and there the custodian was, just doing her thing. His hammer was in her way on the coffee table, so she just picked it up."

"Clearly that doesn't count, though," Tony countered.

"Right, hammers have manners," Steve agreed.

"Exactly!"

I shared an amused look with James before he leaned over to whisper in my ear. "They couldn't pick up Thor's hammer," he informed me.

"What's the big deal about it?" I asked.

His eyes shifted over to Steve and Tony, who were now theorizing more reasons as to why the custodian could pick the hammer up. "Thor says it's enchanted so that only those who are worthy can use it."

A smile came onto my face. "I can understand not approving Tony," I joked. "But it must be picky if it didn't choose Steve."

James' lips turned up slightly. "Yeah, I guess so."

I glanced back at the game. They were now in the middle of grilling Clint on his three statements. A thought popped into my head, and I turned back to look at James. "What about you? Did the hammer think you were worthy?"

He took in a sharp breath, and I knew I'd made a mistake. "I…" he trailed off. "I never tried." He shrugged casually, and I frowned. "I didn't think it'd matter if I did. I already know the answer."

My eyes took in his calm facade before I took his hand in mine. "You know, I remember Wanda telling me about when Vision was brought to life," I started quietly so that only he could hear me. His eyes met mine, and I knew he was listening. "He was supposed to be a machine of war."

James' eyes flickered to Vision, then back to me. I gave him a gentle smile. "And yet I see him use that so-called magical hammer all the time when you guys go out there."

"He didn't have blood on his hands," James mumbled.

I put a hand under his chin and made him look at me. "Or he decided to be a force for good instead of the evil he was intended for."

A flood of emotions ran through his blue eyes, but I saw understanding. Content with his response, I sat back in my seat and listened to Clint laugh at everyone's outrage.

"Well of course you'd be deaf, and we never knew!" Tony was shouting. "Is there anything you haven't hidden from us? What's next, a farm on Mars?"

Snickering, I called out, "Oh don't tempt him, Tony. I heard he's already trying to redo the kitchen!"

Steve feigned a look of disappointment and sighed. "Not again, Clint." The blond sent me a wink, and I laughed out loud. I heard James chuckle lightly next to me, then felt him wrap an arm around my waist.

The jokes died down after a while, and Tony's mischievous eyes whipped around to meet mine. "You're next, Lizzie!"

I scrunched my nose and shook my head. "I don't have any cool facts about myself. I've never piloted a plane through a rainforest or invented the patent for artificial intelligence."

Steve sat back in his chair opposite from me and crossed his arms. "Come on, Eliza, I'm sure there's something."

My doubtful eyes flickered to James for support, but he just said, "Go on."

I stuck my tongue out at him in retaliation. "Fine. Um…I can lick my elbow-"

"That's physically impossible," Tony retorted.

I glared at him. "Shut up, I'm thinking here. Second fact, uh…I've never seen the Lord of the Rings movies-"

"Are you serious?" Sam cut in.

"That's for you to decide," I shrugged. "And finally…my favorite color is red."

"Easy," Clint drawled. "The second one in the lie. You're such a geek, I can't imagine you haven't seen Lord of the Rings."

"Clearly you don't know Lizzie as well as I do," Tony countered proudly. "Because seriously, the first one is literally impossible, and I bet she didn't know that."

I rolled my eyes. "Glad to know you think I'm stupid, Tony."

"Not stupid," he corrected. "Just not holding a thorough knowledge of the skeletal system. Plus, the red thing is a total giveaway. I mean, look at what Barnes is wearing."

Glancing to my right, I saw that Tony had a point. James looked down at his dark red sweater and inclined his head in agreement.

I looked around the plane. "So that's it? The lie is either one or two?"

"Definitely," Sam nodded.

My lips turned up in pride. "Wrong, the lie was three."

Tony stood up from his chair. "But-"

I beat him to the punch, putting my arm up and deftly poking my tongue out to lick my elbow. "You forget that I'm petite," I laughed, taking in Tony's shocked expression. "Shorter bones."

"And the movies?" Clint questioned.

I shrugged. "Just haven't gotten around to them."

"What is your favorite color, then?" Vision asked politely.

"Blue," I answered, scanning the cabin for an example. "Close to Steve's shirt, but with a bit more green. Not that I don't like red, too," I added on with a pat on James' chest.

Tony gagged at the small show of affection, and I laughed. I felt a pair a warm lips press against my cheek, and a wide smile spread on my face.


	7. Provocation

**Provocation**

DarylDixon'sLover: I hope you like more beach adventures then, because that's where we'll be chilling for a while.

FanGirlForever19: Your reviews always make my day, because gosh do you know how hard it is to get everyone's characters right when they're all together? I can't even imagine how Infinity Wars is gonna be.

chimpnsocks: Thank you, and welcome!

EmmiH: Aww, thanks! I know the wait is difficult- one of my favorite stories right now uploads twice a week, and that's hard for me!

Love Fiction 2018: Merci mon ami!

WildestDreams72394: Yup, unfortunately short and slow is my writing style! But don't worry, this story will have thirty chapters just like the last one, so it'll be plenty long in the end.

Demigod-GallagherGirl: Bro, cling onto the wholesomeness while you can.

* * *

 _"What is your favorite color, then?" Vision asked politely._

 _"Blue," I answered, scanning the cabin for an example. "Close to Steve's shirt, but with a bit more green. Not that I don't like red, too," I added on with a pat on James' chest._

 _Tony gagged at the small show of affection, and I laughed. I felt a pair a warm lips press against my cheek, and a wide smile spread on my face._

I couldn't hold back a snicker as I watched Steve pass a bottle of 50 SPF sunscreen from his chair to James'. We'd been sitting out on the beach for just over an hour, and they were already turning a nice shade of pink.

"Here, let me," I volunteered when I saw James look at his left hand in distaste. He sent me a grateful look, and I smiled back at him understandingly. I wouldn't want sunscreen all up in my metal arm either if I had one.

He took my hand and gave it a kiss. "Thank you."

I fixed his messy part and smiled. "You're welcome. I know you have to wait until the sunscreen dries, but I think I'm gonna head on in the water."

James nodded. "That's fine. I was going to go look for an umbrella."

I winced. "Arm overheating?"

"Yeah," he replied. I cast him a worried look, but he shook his head as he stood up. "It's fine, Eliza, don't worry."

Steve and I glanced at each other. "Only if you're sure," I said after a moment. "Would you wanna come in the water after you've cooled down?"

James looked embarrassed. "I didn't want to bring the cast with me," he admitted. "Not many people know about it."

Frowning, I leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "You let me know if you want me to go get it, okay? It's nothing to be ashamed of, honey. And I want you to have fun while we're here."

"I will have fun…from a distance," he joked lightly. When I gave him a doubtful look, he smiled, "Go on, Eliza. I'll think about it."

Part of me felt like I should stay and sit with him, but part of me also knew that he'd want me to go have fun, even if that meant he'd be alone. I forced a smile on my face before I began walking toward the ocean.

I had to admit, Tony had a good eye for islands. Not that I had much to compare it to. Usually my family would vacation on the east coast beaches, all full of shells, sharks, and grey-blue water. Here, the sand was white and clean— no sharp shells sticking up to cut my feet. The water was light blue and entirely clear, just like the pictures he'd shown me. Stick in a few palm trees here and there, and I would've told Tony to get a job in real estate.

My feet stopped just before the water could hit them. I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply. Who knew a government job would have its perks?

I'd only just opened my eyes when I felt my feet leaving the ground. There were arms wrapped around my back and my knees, and I was being moved out into the sea. My eyes caught sight of blond hair only seconds before I was tossed into the clear blue water.

I came up from the water with a scowl, making sure to push my glasses up my nose. "You suck, Steve."

He just chuckled, falling back in the water to cool off. When he got out moments later, he shook his head, scattering beads of water everywhere. I just rolled my eyes and sent a playful splash at him.

"Any luck in the department before we left?" I questioned.

Steve sent me a confused look. "What department?"

"The department of dating," I snorted.

"Ah, yes," Steve hummed. " _That_." I raised an eyebrow at him, and he groaned. "Eliza, I don't need you bugging me about this, too."

"You're the one that keeps asking me about it!" I protested.

"…true," he nodded.

"So?" I prompted. "How's it going?"

I watched as the soldier in front of me sighed. "Good question…to be honest, I don't think I'll find the kind of gal that I'm looking for in, well, in-"

"In my generation," I finished for him.

He winced. "No offense."

I shook my head. "None taken, I get what you mean. It's the expectations, isn't it? There's a lot of pressure for a certain type of relationship now. I'm sure that seems very foreign to you."

"It is," he nodded seriously. "How did...how did you and Buck work that out?"

I shrugged, my eyes wandering a little ways back to where James was now sitting under an umbrella. "We talked about it. He talked about what he thought was appropriate in a relationship, and I told him about my views, as well. I was raised to be patient with that sort of thing."

A wistful smile came onto Steve's face. "Sounds like he got lucky with you."

I ducked my head bashfully. "Seems so."

There was a moment of silence, and I could tell Steve was thinking over what I said. Honestly, I wasn't surprised at his comments. The 1940's gentleman didn't exactly fit into the 21st century by any means, especially when it came to dating.

"…got any friends?"

I whirled around and splashed him, laughing as I said, "Steve, I'm not gonna just give you a list of my friends' numbers and say 'have at it!' My friends have standards-" Steve raised his eyebrows, "-and non-access to the Avengers facility. Besides, I hardly even see them anymore."

Steve shrugged with a mischievous grin. "It was just a thought."

I laughed, not admitting out loud that my mind was already spinning with friends that I thought might get along with Steve. After I ran through the list, I settled for lying back in the water and floating in the crystal sea. I sensed the water move as Steve joined me, and I briefly considered giving him the name of just one friend.

But then, there was a spray of water that landed on my face. I squinted my eyes open to see Sam wading into the sea near us, a concerned look on his features.

"Hey Liz, you might wanna go get your man— he went inside a few minutes ago not lookin' too good," Sam informed me.

I frowned, immediately getting up from the water. "Thanks."

"No problem," Sam replied.

I made my way back up to our spot on the beach and found that only my things remained. After stuffing everything in a bag, I walked up to the large vacation home and entered the back door.

"Where is James?" I requested aloud.

"Sargent Barnes is located in the gym on the second floor," FRIDAY responded. I nodded and frowned deeper. Images of him destroying a punching bag entered my mind. Something must be bothering him.

Ten minutes later, I was standing outside of the gym dressed in athletic wear and tapping my foot. I could see him through the glass, lifting weights heavier than myself. Swallowing, I entered the room. He looked up immediately. His eyes shouted the words "I'm busy," but I ignored it and made my way over.

I sat down in a chair next to James and cast him a glance. "Too hot outside?" I asked casually.

He grunted. "Something like that." After a moment, he sat up from the bench and said, "It was getting a bit uncomfortable."

I nodded. "I gotcha." Something was telling me he didn't feel like talking. I settled for going over to the treadmill and putting in my earbuds. I selected a workout and started the warmup, feeling James' eyes on me the entire time. I ignored him. He would come over and talk when he wanted to, it was just how he worked.

When the treadmill finally got up to speed, my eyes tracked movement. Before I knew it, James was leaning against the front of the treadmill, his chin resting on his arms as he grinned at me.

I pulled out an earbud. "Need something?" my breathy voice asked.

"Nope," he shook his head. "You're just cute when you're determined."

I snorted, even as I blushed. "Thanks, honey."

"You're welcome," he hummed. "You also look cute when you blush."

My blush grew quickly. "Shut up," I giggled. "You're gonna make me trip."

James responded by reaching down and pressing the pause button. I slowed my run to a halt, leaning forward against the console. "Yes?"

His lips were just inches from mine, and I saw his eyes dart down toward them. I grinned before I captured his lips with mine. What started as gentle soon turned urgent, and I found myself breaking away to get air.

"Are you okay?" I questioned suddenly. "You've just been acting a bit strange today."

James opened his mouth to answer, but the sound of the door opening stopped him. Our heads turned, and the air in the room shifted.

"Hey Eliza, did you get my text- oh! Buck!" Steve came over and clapped James on the shoulder, a broad smile on his face. "Didn't know where you two went. Dinner's in twenty minutes."

"Crap, I better go get a shower," I grumbled. I was about to ask James if he wanted help with his cast again, but he was already on the other side of the room grabbing his things. Steve and I shared a look as James left the room without a word.

Steve's head tilted. "…was it something I said?"


	8. Continuation

**Continuation**

LadyAmazon: Bless Steve and his third wheel-ness.

Demigod-Gallagher-Girl: Dude I get it, I'm so thrilled for Infinity Wars, but also so terrified.

DarylDixon'sLover: Thank you as always, friend!

WildestDreams72394: Yes, that jealousy is sneaking in!

Chimpnsocks: I love everyone's reactions to Bucky acting weird, it's so funny.

Love Fiction 2018: Thanks!

Tristana702: We already talked about Bucky's jealousy lol.

Mel: Thank you! I update every Saturday, so you'll have plenty of reading to look forward to for many months to come!

EllaoftheOpera: This review made my day! Here's my view on keeping my fanfictions clean: I'm a Christian, but I don't believe in forcing my religion onto people. I do, however, want to write stories that anyone and everyone can read, thus, I keep it PG!

* * *

 _"Hey Eliza, did you get my text- oh! Bucky!" Steve came over and clapped James on the shoulder, a broad smile on his face. "Didn't know where you two went. Dinner's in twenty minutes."_

 _"Crap, I better go get a shower," I grumbled. I was about to ask James if he wanted help with his cast again, but he was already on the other side of the room grabbing his things. Steve and I shared a look as James left the room without a word._

 _Steve's head tilted. "…was it something I said?"_

To say he was quiet that evening would be an understatement. If he hadn't been sitting right next to me during the movie after dinner, I wouldn't have known he was there. So yes, I might be the extroverted one in our relationship, and maybe that made me find his sometimes asocial behavior odd, but you know it's bad when Tony comes to your bedroom at night to check up on you.

"Things just seem, hm, how do you say…weird?" Tony suggested.

There was a twinge in my heart that knew he was right, but I shrugged. "He's not like you and me. He's quiet, that's just how things are."

Tony fixed me with a serious look. "Quiet and illusive are two different things, Lizzie."

My eyes drifted down to where my hands were fidgeting in my lap. "I know," I replied softly.

I heard Tony sigh before he sat down on the bed next to me and pulled me into his chest. "All papa's children are getting into all sorts of mess," he lamented as he patted my head.

His comment made me giggle. "Who else is having trouble?" I asked curiously.

"Peter," he told me. "Kid's all wrapped up in this girl at school, but he's too scared. Doesn't want her getting hurt."

My lips twitched upward. "Reminds me of someone else…actually, of quite a few someones."

Tony released me from his grasp, then tapped me on the nose. "Relationships are hard work, Lizzie. And you, for whatever reason, decided to choose one of us crazy campers. That makes it even harder."

"I know," I swallowed.

His expression turned contemplative, and after a moment, he stood up from the bed and began to wander toward the door. "Give it time, Lizzie. You two have been together for, what, four months?"

"About that long, yeah," I nodded.

He looked back at me and shrugged. "Gotta figure out what makes him tick."

A smile came onto my face. "Well, heat for one thing. His arm gets too hot in the sun."

"Bingo!" Tony said, snapping his fingers. "Maybe he's more of a mountains kind of guy!"

His little explanation made me smile, but something told me that wasn't it. I bid Tony goodnight, ideas of how to cheer James up tomorrow swirling around in my head.

* * *

I woke up early the next morning, determination surging through my veins. Every relationship had its rough points, and we were going to get through this…whatever it was. After throwing on some shorts and a t-shirt, I headed down to the giant beach house's kitchen. When I got there, I was surprised to see Steve sitting at the table with a cup of coffee and his phone.

My eyes took in his appearance, and my brain immediately transitioned to psychology mode. Bags under the eyes, ruffled hair, and a hard set jaw. He didn't look up when I entered, and I immediately registered that as another bad sign. Finally, I cleared my throat. He startled, and wide eyes met mine.

I raised an eyebrow. "Trouble sleeping?"

A hand came up to rub his temples. "You could say that, yeah."

I frowned, but decided to go ahead and get started with my original plan anyway. Steve would talk if he wanted to, like usual. I began rummaging through the cabinets for pancake mix and vegetable oil. I eventually found it, but sighed when I realized it was higher up than I could reach. Steve must have heard, because moments later he was getting up from his chair and handing me the pancake mix from high above.

"Thanks," I said. "Short people problems."

He just shrugged. "Need help?"

I hummed, running over my list of things I was going to make in my head. "If you could find some tin foil and a big baking sheet, then I'll have a job for you."

"Say no more," he volunteered. Soon, he was set up by the sink laying out strips of bacon on the tray.

As the pancakes began stacking up and the bacon started sizzling in the oven, it wasn't long before some early morning risers began wandering in. Each time someone new walked in, I felt a bit of anxiety shoot through my heart at the thought that it could be him. Then finally, after everyone was sat down at the table, he entered. A large smile came onto my face, and I motioned for him to come sit in the empty chair on my right.

"You're lucky she saved you some," Steve joked from my left as James sat down. "Sam was about to take them."

James managed a small smile, but I could tell that something was still on his mind. I placed a hand on his back, slowly stroking up and down as the early morning conversation continued. He stayed silent, but the tense muscles in his shoulders relaxed after a few minutes. Eventually, the table began to clear, and Sam and Steve volunteered to do the dishes.

We were left alone at the table, and I wondered how the day would go from this point onward. I didn't have to wonder for long.

"Could, um…" James' raspy voice trailed off. "Could we spend the day together?"

I smiled at him. "Of course, honey. Why wouldn't we?"

He cleared his throat. "I mean just us…if that's okay with you."

"That's perfectly fine with me," I replied. I leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I should probably help clean up the dishes first, though, since Steve and I made that mess."

Something flashed through his eyes, but he nodded.

* * *

"Try again, you're very close. It's 'te iubesc,' with a bit more of a y sound in 'iubesc'."

My nose scrunched up in frustration. "Te…iubesc?"

James chuckled, leaning forward to kiss my nose. "You'll get it eventually."

I snorted and rolled to lay flat on my back on his bed. I'd found him here after doing the dishes, and I'd been too tired to get back up ever since. And besides, the sheets smelled like his cologne, and I had no intentions of leaving that scent. "I'm not so sure about that. How many languages do you know?" I questioned.

"Three or four, I think," he replied. "English is my first, but Romanian ran through the family. Picked up some German during the war…and well, after that, I lost track."

A pang of sympathy ran through my heart. "I believe Coulson said they used some Russian, too."

James nodded. "In Siberia, yes."

Silence smothered the conversation. We'd never talked much about those days, not in detail, at least. I'd read the files. I knew what he'd done, and he knew that I accepted that. But I'd never heard things from his side of the story. The words sounded so much more painful coming from his mouth than on a white sheet of paper.

I opened my mouth to speak, but I couldn't find the words. James saw my hesitation and ran a thumb over my cheek. "I know you're curious. You can ask anything."

My eyes searched his, and I finally found the courage to ask my question. "How old are you?"

He chuckled. "That's a complicated answer. My birthday is March 10th, 1917, and I was twenty-seven when I went into the ice. After that…" he trailed off. "I've been in and out so much, I don't really know. Sometimes I was in cryostasis, sometimes I was on mission. It's been about six years since HYDRA was discovered, so I guess I'm somewhere around…thirty-three? Thirty-four? I'm not really sure."

"Mm, so I really did get an older man," I teased.

A smile came onto James' face, and he leaned down to capture my lips with his. "I suppose so," he hummed after we separated. I laughed, and he grinned and kissed me once more. We settled back against the pillows, and he held me tight, nuzzling my hair with his nose.

I let out a contented sigh, happy to close my eyes and concentrate on the beating of his heart. Moments stretched into minutes, and I vaguely wondered if he'd fallen asleep. But then, I felt his hand come up and begin to stroke up and down my back.

"I'm sorry," he said softly.

My eyes blinked open, and I turned to give him a confused look. "For what, honey?"

He shrugged. "I guess I just wanted you to myself today."

I smiled and closed my eyes again, snuggling into his chest. "I'm not going anywhere," I murmured.


	9. Convolution

**Convolution**

DarylDixon'sLover: I love how basically everyone was like "awww this chapter's so cute!" and I'm sitting over here rubbing my hands together and cackling like "oh you wait."

WildestDreams72394: Short and sweet is my style (minimum of 1,200 words per chapter, usually), but enjoy 2000 words this time! If you want something a little bit longer, I'm writing a Voltron fanfic where chapters average around 2,500 words per chapter.

EllaoftheOpera: Yes- more Tony time! That was one of my favorite lines in this whole story, to be honest.

kuppcake: Thank you!

Love Fiction 2018: Gosh, everyone thought it was so cute, now I'm gonna feel bad about this next one.

Demigod-GallagherGirl: I can't anymore, everyone thought the last chapter was so cute and now I'm about to hurt everyone gracious.

* * *

 _"I'm sorry," he said softly._

 _My eyes blinked open, and I turned to give him a confused look. "For what, honey?"_

 _He shrugged. "I guess I just wanted you to myself today."_

 _I smiled and closed my eyes again, snuggling into his chest. "I'm not going anywhere," I murmured._

At first I thought it was a dream, but when the knocks got louder, I realized it couldn't be. My bleary eyes wandered over to the alarm clock. It wasn't even 6am yet.

The knock on my door repeated, and I groaned. "I'm coming," I croaked out. After forcing myself up, I threw one of James' hoodies over my pajamas and went to the door. When I opened it, I found a panicking Steve Rogers.

"I need help," he blurted.

A sleeved hand came up to wipe at my eyes. "It's too early, Steve."

His eyes were pleading. "Please, Eliza, this is serious. I'm freaking out, and I don't know what to do."

I sighed. "Fine. Let me put on some actual clothes. I'll be out in a minute."

"Thank you," he breathed. I only nodded before I shut the door. As I went around my room looking for my shorts, I couldn't help but think 'seriously, Steve, I love you man, but why do you have to freak out this early?'.

When I exited the room a minute later, Steve was pacing back and forth in the hallway. I rolled my eyes and leaned against the wall. "Alright, what is it?"

Steve whipped around and held out his phone. "Sharon is texting me about going to some diner when we get back, but then I have Anna texting me-"

"Wait, who's Anna?" I asked with a scrunched up nose.

His eyes bored into mine. "Your friend. The one you gave me a number for two days ago."

My eyes went wide. "Crap."

"Yeah," he nodded vigorously. "She hasn't figured out who I am yet, and she wants to go get coffee the same night Sharon wants to go out."

 _"Crap."_

"I know!"

* * *

An hour later, we were sitting on the porch off Steve's room. He'd given me a full run down of what had happened over the past few days and years, and I was sat there nursing a new headache.

"So you're telling me," I started wearily, "That after years of you and Sharon being off and on, she finally decided to call it quits in January."

Steve nodded. "Correct."

"And now she wants to go out to dinner," I drawled.

"Yes!" he exclaimed.

I rolled my eyes. "Honestly, Steve, how did you get yourself into this situation?"

He heaved a heavy sigh. "I don't know, Eliza. She was nice, we were around each other a lot, we seemed to get along fine, I thought it'd be okay."

"I'm not blaming you," I assured him. "I just don't know how this has been going on for years. You're a good catch! Why'd you let yourself get dragged around like this?"

Steve looked out at the ocean and shrugged. "Guess I didn't think there'd be another gal interested in me."

I quirked an eyebrow and studied him. "And now that there is? What's holding you back?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "I don't want to hurt Sharon's feelings…maybe I'm too nice."

"Probably," I concluded. "Want my advice?"

Steve snorted. "I wouldn't have woken you up so early if I didn't."

I laughed. "True. I think that you can never know better until you have better. You've been in a very up and down relationship for the past few years, and clearly that's not working out. You need someone stable, not someone who's giving you mixed signals."

"Can't disagree with that," Steve said. "But what if the date with Anna doesn't work out?"

I shrugged. "Then you break things off nicely and keep searching. The point is, everyone deserves to be treated right. And as your friend, it sucks to hear that you've been in this back and forth crap for so long now. You deserve better."

He gave me a hopeless look. "Think so?"

"Of course!" I smiled. "If our situations were reversed, wouldn't you tell me the same thing?"

Steve considered it for a moment. "Yes, I would."

I stood up from my chair and stretched. "Good, glad that's solved. Now let's go get some breakfast, and we can talk about what you should say back to both of them."

After groaning dramatically, Steve decided to follow me through the house and to the kitchen. We sat down over bowls of cereal, and he showed me the most recent conversations with both of them. I could tell from Anna's texts that she was interested, but I kept it to myself. There were some things he'd have to figure out on his own.

About thirty minutes later, we were strolling down the beach. He'd sent texts back to both women, and had set the phone on vibrate. By the look on his face, I knew he was nervous about what the responses would be, so I decided to distract him.

"What was James like when he was younger?" I asked.

A far away look entered Steve's eyes, followed quickly by a smile. "He was the best friend you could ever ask for," he reminisced. "Still is, of course, but you know, now things are-"

"-different," I finished for him.

He nodded. "Exactly. Friend doesn't really cut it. We were as close as brothers, especially after my parents died. He always checked up on me, made sure I was okay. I was, ah…" he trailed off bashfully. "I was a handful."

"Your health?" I prompted.

Steve laughed. "That was the least of his worries. I was always getting into trouble."

I feigned shock. "No, you?"

"The one and only," he chuckled. "I think he got used to checking every back alley he passed after a while. Anyways, then the war came, and he had to leave. All I wanted was to join him and show that I could do just as much as he could…not because I felt inferior, but because I wanted to return the favor. He'd been there for me all my life, and I wanted to do the same."

A warm feeling spread through my heart hearing this, and my grin grew when Steve kept going.

"He's also a huge nerd," he laughed. "He took me and two gals to a science show the night before he was deployed."

"Are you serious?"

"Completely. Then the serum thing happened, and well, you know all about that. It was years until I saw him again, and that was the first time he was captured by HYRDA." Steve stopped suddenly, his face a mixture of emotions. "…I guess I finally got to return the favor."

I gave him a sympathetic smile. "And you continue to do so now, Steve. Even though things are different."

Steve looked ready to agree, but a tale-tell buzz came from his pocket. Our eyes widened, and he scrambled to get the phone out.

* * *

"She sounded mad-"

"Get over it, Steve."

"But I don't want her to be mad at me, we work together."

"She'll get over it eventually. Just focus on your date with Anna."

"But what if I screw up?"

"I mean…you probably won't."  
Steve looked unconvinced as he opened the patio door for me, but I just patted him on the shoulder. There were a few groggy hello's when we walked in, but all I noticed was the look on James' face. A sudden feeling of nervousness came over me, even as I walked over and put a hand on his back.

"Morning, honey," I greeted.

His jaw locked. "Can we talk?" he said quietly.

I glanced around the room. No one else seemed to notice that something was wrong. Satisfied, I nodded. James got up from his seat and began to walk toward his room. I followed closely, my heart racing. Whatever it was, he was serious about it. And that wasn't a side of him I'd really seen yet.

The moment he opened the door, he went over and sat down on the edge of his bed. I shut the door softly, making sure it was closed all the way. When I approached James, I could see his shoulders rise and fall with each steadying breath. I sat down next to him and put my fidgety hands in my lap.

"So," I swallowed. "What's wrong?"

"Why are you spending so much time with Steve?" he blurted out.

The question caught me off guard. "Huh?"

"You and Steve," James stated. "You two have been with each other constantly this entire trip."

I blinked in confusion. "Honey, you know that's not true-"

"Sure seems like it," he grumbled. "I couldn't even find you this morning. And then you and him walked in, and it just-" he took in a deep breath. "It made me angry."

I took in his expression, and it hit me in the face. Jealousy. That's what had been making him act so strange lately. He was jealous of me and Steve.

My brain felt like it was working in overdrive, but I forced myself to focus. "I'm sorry it made you mad, James. He was freaking out over this date thing, and he wanted my advice."

He nodded, but his expression was pained. "But the other day, you two were in the kitchen making breakfast all by yourselves."

"Because I wanted to do something nice for you, and Steve had woken up early and offered to help," I replied.

But he wasn't finished. "And then the day before that, you two were playing around in the water-"

"James, I offered to go get your cast!" I countered. "You said you'd be fine sitting by yourself, and I figured you didn't want pity."

"Doesn't mean you have to be so friendly with him," he mumbled.

I could feel my patience draining quickly as I ground out, "That's what friends do, James. We are friends, therefore we are friendly. Why are you so upset about this? I'm your girlfriend, and Steve's your best friend. Why would we try to do anything behind your back?"

James huffed loudly. "I don't know. But I just wish you'd think about how it makes me feel-"

"-I asked!"

"-and that you would spend some time with me-"

"-we spent all day together yesterday!"

"-but only when _I_ asked!"

I squeezed my eyes shut and ran my hands through my hair. This conversation was going nowhere. I opened my mouth to say something, but there was a knock at the door. I stood up from the bed and crossed the room to whip the door open.

When I did, a wary looking Bruce was standing there. "H-Hey, I'm sorry if I interrupted-"

"It's fine," I insisted.

Bruce's eyes flashed between me and James. "I, ah, I just got in on the plane, and there are some…things we need to talk about." Bruce's eyes motioned downward, and I followed. He was holding a red leather bound book just out of James' line of sight.

The thrill I wanted to feel was dampened by the mood of the room. After a moment, I settled for nodding neutrally. "Tony have a lab here?"

Bruce nodded. "Bottom floor," he answered. His eyes went back to James and then met mine. "I'll…I'll be downstairs when you're ready."

I let the door shut without an answer, then turned around to look at James. My throat felt tight, and my eyes were stinging, but I could still get out, "If you seriously think that I'd be up to something with Steve, then you don't know a thing about me. He's been feeling incredibly lonely lately, and all I wanted to do was help him find someone. And if you don't believe me, then you can go talk to him yourself. You listen to him more anyways."

James opened his mouth to speak, but I left the room before he could.


	10. Instruction

**Instruction**

KrislynGera: Yes! They had their first fight! I think a lot of people knew that was coming honestly, but let's be real, fights happen in relationships.

DarylDixon'sLover: Uh oh is right, my friend.

EllaoftheOpera: I love your enthusiasm- get into it all you want!

pineapplegoddess: Thank you very much! I used to just figure out my stories as I go, but now I find that planning out your plot ahead of time really helps you build a good arc!

Rohirrim Girl 2187: Your comment cracks me up, he did totally get burned!

Za: Thanks! I am sorry that I only post once a week (gotta keep you guys looking forward to the weekend somehow!), but if you want more to read, check out my other stories! I've got a new Voltron one going right now.

Love Fiction 2018: Thanks, friend!

guadalupe1992: Thank you and welcome!

* * *

 _I let the door shut without an answer, and then I turned around to look at James. My throat felt tight, and my eyes were stinging, but I could still get out, "If you seriously think that I'd be up to something with Steve, then you don't know a thing about me. He's been feeling incredibly lonely lately, and all I wanted to do was help him find someone. And if you don't believe me, then you can go talk to him yourself."_

 _James opened his mouth to speak, but I left the room before he could._

Bruce jumped when the door slammed behind me. I could feel his eyes on me as I put on a lab coat, but I didn't say anything.

"Are you…okay?" he asked.

I wound a hair tie around my curls and huffed. "I'm fine."

He gave me a look that said he didn't believe me, but he sat down at a table regardless. He pushed a pair of latex gloves toward me, and I took my time putting them on. I watched him inspect the book, taking a moment to calm down and go into a more professional persona.

After a few minutes passed, I finally asked, "How'd you get it?"

Bruce glanced up at me. "I told Fury and Coulson about your idea, and they approved it. Had to pull some strings to get the book itself. They had it behind three titanium doors in the basement of the facility."

I tilted my head at Bruce. "But there isn't a basement."

"Correct," he winked. I caught his meaning instantly and couldn't help but grin. The doctor turned on an overhead light and pulled out a kit. I watched as he meticulously laid out a series of small tools on the stainless steel table, many of which I couldn't identify.

When I picked one up to look it over, Bruce cleared his throat. "Don't worry, I'll do all the inspection. This book has to be handled delicately. It was in Siberia for years- I'm honestly surprised it's still in tact." I hummed in agreement, my mind immediately flipping through all the files I'd read over the past few months. James' face appeared in my head, a sharp pain in my heart following suit.

Minutes passed as I watched Bruce go through the pages of the old book. Maybe it was my uncanny silence, or perhaps the fact that he was unbelievably perceptive to tension, but Bruce finally let out a sigh and said, "What's on your mind, Eliza?"

I wanted to avoid his question, ask him why he thought something was wrong, act like I hadn't heard him. That would've worked with Tony, but I knew better when it came to Bruce.

Sighing, I propped my elbows up on the table and set my chin down in my hands. "Do you really wanna know?"

He didn't look up from his work. "The question is, do you need someone to tell? I've been told that I'm a good listener, so I don't mind. And you know me— patient confidentiality and all that."

A small smile came onto my face. "Yeah, I know…I guess…" I trailed off, not sure where to start. "James and I have been having problems lately."

"What kind of problems?" Bruce prompted.

I shrugged. "Communication? I'm not sure."

The doctor turned around and put his hands around a microscope. "Well," Bruce grunted as he lugged it over to the counter. "You are a female, he is a male. There are bound to be some communication mistakes."

Groaning, I put my head down on the table. "I know that. It's not that kind of stuff…I don't think. It's just…I don't know, he's not very open with his emotions. And I guess that I should expect that, because he's a guy and with his past it makes sense, but sometimes it's just a bit frustrating because I can't get inside his head," I rambled.

Bruce glanced up at me warily. "Patience, Elizabeth. He's not going to be like normal guys. None of us are. That's why you were called in in the first place."

"I know," I sighed. "Most of the time it's fine, but recently it's been in the back of my mind a lot."

"So…what's the problem?" Bruce asked.

I stayed silent for a moment, watching as he carefully began to pull at the thread in the binding. James' words from half an hour ago echoed through my head, and I still couldn't make any sense of them.

Finally, I managed to swallow and say, "Well, we just had our first fight."

Bruce's hands paused. His eyes looked up, expression confused. "Over what?"

"That's what I'd like to know!" I exclaimed. "I can't figure out what happened. When I walked into breakfast, he was upset, so he pulled me into his room and started saying all this stuff about Steve and-"

A lightbulb went off in Bruce's eyes. "Oh I see. He's jealous."

I threw my hands up in the air and huffed. "I guess so. But it doesn't make any sense, why would he be jealous of Steve?" I heard a chuckle and looked up to see Bruce shaking his head. "What's so funny?"

Bruce's amused smile stayed on his face as he gave me a look that said it should be obvious. "Eliza, jealousy is entirely natural. It's a protective instinct, but also a sign of insecurity. Now, if you were in his shoes, and the person you love is— in your view— spending a lot of time with another man, how would that make you feel?"

"But that doesn't make sense," I said stubbornly. "I chose James, not Steve. If I wanted to be dating Steve, then I'd be dating Steve."

Bruce just shook his head again. "I know that makes sense from your view, Eliza, but put that aside. Let me set this up another way-" he started, coming around to stand directly in front of me. "I'm James— stop laughing, Eliza, be serious— and you're you. Now imagine one day, you walk into the common room back at the facility and see me talking to Wanda."

I shrugged. "Okay, and?"

The doctor fixed me with a look. "Let me finish, please. You walk in and see us talking— no big deal, right? No, but the next day, me and Wanda decided to take Benjamin out on a walk. You still say, well, that's fine, isn't it? They're just teammates getting to know each other. But then, you look over my shoulder the next day, and guess who I'm texting? Wanda. That's a bit annoying, isn't it? We're spending time together, shouldn't I be focusing on you? Then the next day-"

"Okay, I get it," I cut him off. The images he was creating were filling my head at a rapid pace, and I couldn't deny the uncomfortable twinge in my heart.

Bruce sat down on a stool and folded his hands in his lap. "Do you see? That's how he feels right now."

I nodded, unable to find the words to reply.

* * *

My heart was beating out of my chest, but I forced my shaky hand to knock on the door. The shuffling I'd heard before suddenly stopped, and I felt my mouth go dry. There was a moment of silence before any noise was heard again. The door opened, and I met blank blue eyes.

"Can I, um, can I come in?" I asked awkwardly.

James nodded, "Of course."

I wandered in slowly, feeling my hands twitch nervously as I sat down on the edge of the bed. I pulled my legs up to sit cross legged, staring down at my lap when he sat down next to me and mimicked my actions.

I took in a deep breath. "So…where do we begin?"

James swallowed. "I'm not sure," he admitted, his eyes meeting mine. There was a vulnerability in them, but one that I could tell he was uncomfortable with. "You know…you know I'm not good at this stuff, Eliza."

"I know," I smiled softly. "And that's okay. I just want to say that I'm sorry for making you jealous. I didn't mean to. I guess…I guess I didn't see how you could be."

James frowned. "I didn't want to be jealous…I've been fighting it off for a few weeks now."

I gazed up at him sorrowfully. "I'm so sorry."

"It's fine," he shook his head. "I should've told you. I guess…with everything that's happened, with everything I've done…" James trailed off, then shrugged. "Steve seems like a better option. You two get along great, and he's a really good guy…I guess I don't know why you'd go for someone like me."

A small smile made its way onto my face, and my hand reached up to play with his dark locks. The action seemed to calm him, and I watched as all the tension in his shoulders melted. His eyes closed, and he took in deep, slow breaths. After a moment, my hand moved to rest on his cheek. He opened his eyes only briefly before he leaned forward to gather me in his arms.

I buried my nose in his neck, taking in his comforting smell as I ran my fingers slowly up and down his back. We stayed like that for a few minutes, simply enjoying being in each other's presence once again. Finally, I brought my head up to look into his eyes.

"James, let me make something clear to you," I whispered. "If I wanted Steve, then I would go after Steve."

His eyes betrayed his fear, and I quickly leaned down to capture his lips with my own.

After a moment, we separated, and I placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. "But I chose you," I murmured. "Okay? You're the one I love. Steve's just a close friend."

Understanding filled his eyes, and he nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry for arguing."

I gave him another peck on the lips. "I forgive you, sweetheart."

His mouth opened again, but he hesitated. "Just…just don't forget about me, okay? And I know you'll say you won't," he insisted, "but…please."

I nodded seriously. "I promise I won't, James. Just don't you forget about me."

He chuckled, "Never." We grinned, and our lips met sweetly.


	11. Affliction

**Affliction**

DarylDixon'sLover: Thank you! I always want to make make-ups after fights sweet, because I think they should be.

chimpnsocks: Thanks! I'm specializing in cute these days, and I gotta stop it before I get a cavity.

LadyAmazon: I feel like we all know by now that my favorite literary device is foreshadowing.

Demigod-Gallagher-Girl: I like how the overall consensus on this chapter is just "cute!"

EllaoftheOpera: Thank you! I always try to write the stories that I want to read, and awhile ago I realized that we were sorely lacking in the Bucky/OC department. That poor boy just needs some love.

guadalupe1992: I looked this up on google translate and I think it means "Go ahead!" So if that's accurate, thanks, I will!

* * *

 _His mouth opened again, but he hesitated. "Just…just don't forget about me, okay? And I know you'll say you won't," he insisted, "but…please."_

 _I nodded seriously. "I promise I won't, James. Just don't you forget about me."_

 _He chuckled, "Never." We grinned, and our lips met._

I was just finishing buttoning up my coat when I stepped into the lab. "Morning, morning!" I chirped.

From over by a large new observation window, Bruce cast me an amused look. "Someone's in a good mood. You sleep well?"

I shrugged. "Pretty alright, yeah. Still just glad to be back." I walked over to stand by Bruce, gazing out the glass. The newest addition to the Avengers Facility was brightly lit and plenty cheery with its pale yellow walls, but I knew the truth. That room would be harder to break out of than a max security prison wrapped in titanium. I spotted Ian in the mix of workers and waved, smiling when he waved back happily.

"Coming along well?" I queried.

"So far," Bruce replied. "Should be ready by tomorrow."

A shot of anxiety ran through my heart, but I beat it down forcefully. "You think the shock therapy's been working?"

The doctor shrugged. "It's hard to say. According to the notebook, they put the shock levels at forty-five volts, just high enough to wipe him, but low enough that it wouldn't damage the wiring in his arm."

"And barely low enough to not murder him," I muttered darkly. "What have you had it at?"

"Ten volts, three times a day for twenty minutes, starting five days ago when we got back," he rattled off. "With a little luck, it may have killed off some of the old neural pathways-"

"-and the only way we can know is if we try to reactivate them," I finished.

Bruce sighed. "Unfortunately."

"That sucks."

"Trust me, I know," he grumbled, turning away from the window. "I wouldn't like it if someone put me in a room just to see how far they could push me, but it's the only way. His programming actually _has_ a chance of being erased."

I could hear a tinge of bitterness in his voice, and I frowned. "Bruce, you know that you're a valued member of the team-"

He waved a hand. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Sometimes I just don't like how I'm valuable."

Unable to find the words to say, I stared out the window. Bruce quietly handed me a clipboard, and I looked down to find a list of the new recruits for our project. I scanned their resumes, glancing up only briefly to match faces and names. But after a few times of doing this, it didn't take long before I could tell something was wrong in the room. Frowning, I made my way to the door, put in the key code, and walked in.

"Everything okay, Ian?" I asked pointedly.

The scientist's assistant looked flustered, turning every which way and digging through the bag hanging off his shoulder. "No, no, no…no, t-things aren't okay, Eliza," he stuttered. "It seems I've misplaced some papers, and I can't find them anywhere."

I raised an eyebrow. "Which papers? Maybe I could help you look."

Ian immediately flushed bright red. "Ha, well, you see, it's a funny thing…they were, ah- they were the papers that detailed the wiring in the security system."

My eyes grew wide, and I turned to see Bruce gaping at us with a similar expression. "And how long have these papers been missing?" I finally managed to say.

The brunet scratched his head. "Um…two days?"

I swallowed hard, slowly processing this information. "Right. Bruce and I will handle it. Thank you for letting me know." I walked out of the room without giving him a second glance, my mind only having room for the horrible thoughts running through my head.

Bruce glanced up at me when I entered, his voice cool when he said, "We need more security."

"Yeah, no kidding," I said through gritted teeth. "And apparently we need to change the wiring now, too."

The doctor gave me a look. "You can't assume that someone stole the plans-"

"-yeah, but I wouldn't put it past someone," I replied shortly. "James has always been a target. I wouldn't be surprised if someone tried to go after him again."

Bruce stood up to his full height and pushed his glasses up his nose. "Eliza, you're being paranoid. I'll notify them that we need more security, but it's just a missing file. Maybe it'll show up tonight."

I gazed out the window, brows furrowed. "Yeah, maybe."

* * *

"Everyone breathe," I laughed, taking in a round of horrified expressions. "It all turned out okay."

Steve finally blinked, then shook his head rapidly. "That was insane. I never thought something like that could happen."

I grinned, falling back against James' chest and shrugging. "I don't remember it too much, to be honest. I think I was, what, six? My parents could tell you more about the real story. Obviously this was dramatized to make the movie better."

"Still," James murmured thoughtfully, "It was impressive the lengths they went to to stop that train."

I couldn't help but hum in agreement. "My dad and I watched _Unstoppable_ when I was little, and I thought it was the coolest movie in the world. I just thought you two would find it interesting."

"Oh it definitely was," Steve nodded.

"Speaking of interesting…" I trailed off mischievously. "How was the date with Anna?"

Steve suddenly got up and stretched. "Well, guys, that was some movie- oh, gosh, look at the time, see you two tomorrow!" He made toward the door without another word, and I immediately burst out laughing.

"I can't believe him, avoiding my question like that," I snickered as I got up from the couch.

James grinned at me, stretching his arms high above his head before he tossed the blanket in my face. "You can be a little nosy," he teased.

"That's literally my job!" I pulled the blanket off my face so he could see my dramatic pout. "I just wanted to know how it went. I guess I'll have to text Anna."

James shook his head, took my hand, and started off down the hall, Benjamin trailing behind us happily. "Now now, Eliza, don't get involved. Things will work out on their own."

I sighed, "I know…I just want to _know_."

There was a snort as we turned to walk up the stairs. "Patience, dear."

The conversation lulled to a stop as we made our way to my room. We stopped just short of my room, and I chose to lean against the door. Instead of the smile and goodnight kiss I expected, there was hesitation.

My brow furrowed. "What's wrong, honey?"

His eyes cast down to the floor. "Tomorrow," he mumbled. "If…if it goes wrong…I don't want you to see me like that. It's not who I am, it's-" he stopped, unable to find the words.

I nodded understandingly, reaching up to smooth his hair out of his eyes. "I'm here for the good, the bad, and the ugly. If something goes wrong, then I'll be right there by your side."

James swallowed hard. "You don't- you can't, Eliza, it's too dangerous-"

"I'll be safe," I stated firmly. "I'm not leaving you alone in this. We're walking this road together."

His eyes met mine. "Thank you."

I smiled and leaned up to kiss him softly. "You're welcome, honey."


	12. Actualization

**Actualization**

DarylDixon'sLover: I misread your review at first and thought you were telling Eliza to trust Bruce, and I was like "nah, trust your gut, girl!" But yes, you're absolutely right.

EllaoftheOpera:You're in the right place to find out, so read on!

guadalupe1992: Thanks!

Demigod-GallagherGirl: Thank you! I really wish that Bucky could have someone like Eliza in the actual MCU, but then again, this is set after Infinity Wars, so who knows?!

* * *

 _"I'll be safe," I stated firmly. "I'm not leaving you alone in this. We're walking this road together."_

 _His eyes met mine. "Thank you."_

 _I smiled and leaned up to kiss him softly. "You're welcome, honey."_

Ten. Ten minutes to go. Ten words no one wanted to say. Ten words that he never wanted to hear again. James was sitting in the chair. His shoulders tensed. Bruce was talking to him. James nodded. The microphone was turned on.

Nine. Nine minutes and counting. Nine switches all laid out in front of me. An assistant flipped them on one at a time. Blinding lights filled the room. James squinted. Bruce caught his attention again. Ian walked through the checklist once more.

Eight. Eight minutes ticking away. Eight of us in the control room. Steve was pacing behind me. He muttered a prayer. Tony was sitting in the corner. He chewed the inside of his cheek. Sam leaned against the back wall. He crossed his arms.

Seven. Seven minutes down. Seven hours had passed. Bruce had said it'd be best to do it early. Wanda yawned behind me. James cast me a weary glance. He hadn't slept last night. Friday had let me know. Then again, neither had I.

Six. Six minutes on the clock. Six technicians surrounding James. Steve stopped to stand on my right. His jew was clenched. The technicians moved to clamp down his hands and feet. James gave us a rueful smile. My throat tightened.

Five. Five minutes gone. Five deep breaths, Bruce instructed. James nodded. Bruce left the room. The locks secured behind him. Our eyes met. I handed him the clipboard. Steve offered to get me a chair. I declined. His eyes gazed down at the floor.

Four. Four minutes remaining. Four inch thick glass between us and him. Agent Coulson entered the room. He set down his briefcase. Tony stood up. Everyone gathered. One by one, we typed in our codes. The case opened. The words gazed back at us on white paper.

Three. Three minutes standing. Three security counter measures. Rhodey's taser rod crackled behind me. Vision stood firm on my left. Wanda's eyes glowed red. Bruce ran a hand through his hair. Natasha whispered something to Bruce. His shoulders dropped.

Two. Two minutes left. Two hearts separated by a wall. James was smiling softly at me. I couldn't manage one back. Steve put a hand on my shoulder. He said it would all be okay. I wasn't so sure. The lights dimmed.

One. One minute. One final switch. I flipped it. An old-timey recording filled the room. James shut his eyes to listen. I swallowed hard. For the first time, I wondered if this was the right decision.

There was a moment of silence before Vision stepped up to the microphone. "Mr. Barnes, are you ready?" he asked calmly.

James' eyes fluttered open, and he gave a smile. "Wouldn't be sitting here if I wasn't."

Vision nodded in acknowledgement, his synthetic eyes glancing around. He hummed, and I held my breath.

"Your heart rate is higher than allowed for this procedure," Vision stated. "Unless you can lower it, I will not proceed."

I watched as James flipped through a thousand different emotions before he swallowed. "Can…can I see Eliza? Please?"

Bruce glanced at me, and I nodded immediately. Sighing, he went to the door and entered the key code. "Only a minute, Eliza," he whispered as I walked through.

I hardly noticed the sound of the locks clicking behind me as I rushed forward. I knelt in front of him, brushed his hair back, and took a moment to hold his hands. "Breathe, James," I whispered. "I'll be right here when it's all over. It's gonna be okay."

He shut his eyes and took in a slow, deep breath. I continued to stroke his hair, watching as his shoulders relaxed and his hands released the arm rests. Just as I sensed his heart rate slowing, there was a tap on the glass. James' eyes opened, full of concern.

I gave him a sad smile. "I have to go."

James swallowed. "O-Okay."

I stood up and leaned down to kiss his forehead. "I love you," I murmured.

"I love you too, Eliza," he whispered.

Moments later, I was back on the other side of the glass. Bruce looked wary, but I met Vision's inquisitive gaze. "Do it," I instructed.

He nodded. "Mr. Barnes, I shall begin momentarily." Vision picked up the paper from Coulson's case, paused, then held it up.

I grabbed Steve's hand.

"Longing…"

James shut his eyes and began to hum.

"…rusted…"

His neck twitched.

"…seventeen…"

His breathing became labored.

"…daybreak…"

He grunted loudly.

"…furnace…"

His hands crushed the arm rests.

"…nine…"

He screamed.

"Vision-"

"…benign…"

He broke loose from the restraints.

"Vision-!"

"…homecoming…"

James launched forward at the glass.

"…one…"

He threw a punch.

"…freight car."

The glass cracked.

It happened all at once. Tony was shouting at Steve to get me out. Wanda's energy was dispersing through the air. Bruce was frantically securing the locks. And in the midst of it all, I stood motionless, watching as James pounded into the glass. Steve grabbed me just before it gave way.

I'm not sure when it hit me. Was it when I noticed the agents running toward the labs, when the shouts died down once we entered the residential area, or when Steve set me down on my bed? It must have been the last one, because that was when the spell broke.

Tears burst out of my eyes, and they didn't have any intention of stopping. Steve sat down next to me and sighed, letting me cry my eyes out on his shoulder for as long as I deemed necessary. Moments turned into minutes, but eventually, I found that I had no more energy left. I settled for sniffling, blowing my nose into the tissues that Steve had gotten for me.

We remained silent for a while. Neither of us knew what to say, or even what we could say. Finally, Steve cleared his throat.

"So…Anna's nice."

I gave him a confused look, but he continued.

"She's just like you said…and better, I think. She hasn't figured out who I am yet, so that's good…she keeps giving me weird looks, though, and saying that she thinks she met me before…we're actually going to see a movie on Saturday, and I'm pretty nervous, but I think it'll be okay. I mean, our first date went great and all, we wound up talking for three hours and had to get more coffee because ours went cold because we forgot it was there-"

I giggled, and Steve smiled.

"So, things are going well so far," he concluded with a shrug. "I guess we'll see how it turns out."

I sniffed once more before I managed a grin. "Thank you, Steve."

He leaned over and ruffled my hair. "It's what I'm here for."

* * *

That night, having been banned from seeing James in the recovery room, I found myself back in my old space. I hardly visited it anymore. I had my office, now, plus a bedroom of my own. Other than movie nights, the space went largely unused.

My gaze lingered on each object, and I wondered when the familiarity had faded into strange detachment. This room belonged to a different time, though brief it may have been. This room belonged to history lessons, to google searches, to subtle glances and hidden grins. It had been simpler back then, that was for sure.

'But then again,' I decided as I turned to go back to my room, 'I wouldn't change a thing that happened.'


	13. Conviction

**Conviction**

CalistaLegaci: Thank you so much! I always strive for accuracy when it comes to characters because OOC just kills me.

DarylDixon'sLover: You'll have to wait and see! Ain't no spoilers coming from this mouth.

EllaoftheOpera: The countdown actually took a lot of work, so thank you for appreciating it!

Rohirrim Girl 2187: There's still time for Bucky, so don't give up yet!

guadalupe1992: Thank you!

Demigod-GallagherGirl: Patience! These fics are 30 chapters, so we still have a long way to go for Bucky's journey.

kuppcake: I'm genuinely surprised at how many of you thought it would work on the first try. Don't give up hope!

SummerMistedDragon: Thank you for taking the time to catch up! That must be a lot more fun than having to wait each week for a new chapter.

* * *

 _'But then again,' I decided as I turned to go back to my room, 'I wouldn't change a thing that happened.'_

"Hey FRIDAY, can you play something calming?"

"Is jazz acceptable?"

"Yeah, thanks."

"You're welcome, Eliza."

I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath. From the moment I'd woken up this morning, my brain was scattered, my nerves were shot, and I felt like never waking up ever again. But, as always, I got up and washed my face, hoping that the day would somehow turn around.

I honestly didn't know what I was feeling— stress, sadness, frustration, anger, it all mixed into one overwhelming sensation of being lost. Being caught in my own stream of consciousness, going backward and having nothing but a tiny paddle to fight my way through. And worst of all, no one had updated me on how James was.

My eyes opened, and I let out the deep breath I was holding. It would all be okay. Not today, maybe not tomorrow. But some day.

With the soothing sounds of a saxophone filling my office, I opened the first file on my desk. Two hours later, I'd gotten through five files. The office work— while often times tedious and monotonous— was soothing for my nerves. My mind had slowed down from the racing pace it had decided upon this morning. And in good time, too.

I heard the footsteps before the sound of the door handle being turned. My eyes glanced up, widened, and my body moved to meet my visitor. We collided in a mix of joy and desperation, holding each other as tight as we could. We parted only after our breathing unified into a steady rhythm.

James stepped back and met my eyes. "I just got out of recovery," he said softly. "I'm so sorry they wouldn't let you come, I didn't know-"

"Shut up," I insisted, and I captured his lips with mine. The reaction was instantaneous, our lips meeting in a frenzied fight for reassurance. I felt one hand running through my curls, and another holding me tight around my waist. When we separated, my breathing was ragged, and I swallowed, "There's no need for you to apologize."

"But I-"

"Mm-mm," I shook my head firmly. "No one thought this would be perfect, especially not the first time. We're going to figure this out one way or another, okay?" His eyes showed that he wasn't convinced, but I leaned up and pressed another firm kiss on his lips.

I made to pull away, but he immediately reached out and kept me to him. Giggling, I pushed against his chest. He grinned, and I couldn't help but smile back.

I walked back around to my chair, fixing my hair from where he'd messed it up on the way. "So, you feel okay?"

James sat down in the chair across from me and shrugged. "Not as bad as I thought I'd be," he replied honestly. His head tilted, and he made a point of staring me down. "You're doing better than I thought you'd be," he observed.

My eyes met his, and I suddenly felt unsure if I should tell the truth or if that would only worry him more. "Just…" I trailed off, swallowing hard. "…just don't ask Steve how I reacted yesterday."

"Yeah, they told me he got you out," he murmured. I leaned forward, resting my chin in my palm as I took in his body language. His tone had been contemplative, I noted with satisfaction. No jealousy to be found, only concern.

Silence held us captive for a brief moment before he broke the spell.

"You weren't-"

"Hurt?" I guessed. The grim look on his face told me I was right. "No, and I wasn't worried about it anyways. You'd never hurt me."

His face contorted into frustration. "Eliza, that's not- I don't- I'm-"

At this point, I'd come around to kneel down in front of him. I placed my hands on the sides of his face, gently forcing him to look at me. "It's not you, I know. But when you're…him," I paused, taking in his pained expression. "…you'd never hurt an innocent stranger, right?

James seemed at a loss for words, but he managed to say, "I suppose so."

I smiled at him softly. "See? Then we have nothing to worry about," I whispered, leaning up to kiss his forehead. "Now I need to work on a few things, but do you wanna take Benjamin on a walk during lunch?"

"Sure," he nodded, giving me an attempt at a lighthearted smile. "I need to get a shower anyways."

Snickering, I got up and walked back around to my desk. "Go," I shooed. "You're stinking up my office, mister."

James shook his head and laughed. "I'll see you in a bit, okay? I love you."

"And I love you," I promised, then looked down at my stack of files. "Don't forget to-" I paused.

His head tilted. "Eliza? Don't forget to what?"

It took me a moment to process what he said, and then I shook my head. "Sorry, I just…" I left my sentence hanging, my mind preoccupied as I started searching through my files. Coulson gave me fifteen each morning, all labeled numerically and in order, like clockwork. So where was file number six?

James looked at me curiously. "Eliza?"

"It's nothing," I reassured him, even though I still felt puzzled. "Just a missing file. I'm sure Coulson forgot."

Smiling, he shook his head and turned the handle on the door. "Not everyone can be as type-A as you, Eliza."

I couldn't help the smile that came onto my face at his remark, but something still felt off. Coulson wasn't one to forget something.

* * *

"You ready to go?" James asked two hours later. Benjamin was running all around my office in excitement, the leash hanging from James' hand a well known sign of a walk.

I snorted, bending down to catch Benjamin by the collar. "I think someone's ready," I said teasingly. Benjamin wagged his tail, and we both laughed.

Minutes later, we were strolling around the greenway hand in hand with Benjamin taking the lead. It felt like the last time we did this was forever ago, even though I knew it had only been a few days. Then again, the last few days had felt like they lasted weeks.

James brought me out of my musings with a squeeze of my hand. "You ever find that file?"

"Nope," I sighed. "I sent Coulson an email, but he's probably busy. I'm sure I'll hear back from him at some point. What about you? What do you have today?"

"Training," he shrugged. "Steve wants me to take it easy today, but I don't see the point in it."

"Oooh, " I smirked. "Someone's finally stepping up to Steve!"

James rolled his eyes, smiling. "He worries too much for his own good," he replied. "After that, I have some more shock therapy with Dr. Banner. I really do think it's helping," he told me earnestly. "I was able to resist longer than usual."

A sad smile settled onto my face. "That's good."

He came to a stop, looking me in the eyes. "That tone didn't _sound_ good." I looked down at my shoes, not wanting him to see how I felt. I heard him sigh, then watched as his hand appeared to tilt my chin up.

"You said it yourself this morning— it's a process, Eliza. It's going to take time," he said gently.

My eyes darted down to the ground again. "I know," I muttered. "I just don't like the process."

I looked up to find that James' gaze had softened. "I don't either," he admitted. "But…if it means that everyone will be safer…that you will be safer, then I'm okay with it."

"Just okay?" I pressed worriedly.

James answered by kissing me on the forehead. "More than okay, okay?"

I couldn't help but laugh, and he smiled, satisfied at my reaction. We kept on walking, both of us (unbeknownst to the other) trying to get our minds away from what happened the day before.


	14. Commemoration

**Commemoration**

DarylDixon'sLover: Thank you, friend!

guadalupe1992: Thanks!

EllaoftheOpera: I love James way too much to ever permanently hurt him! Our boy will be well, one day.

lovingvamp346: Shhh don't give away the secret! But you're right- something's amiss!

Love Fiction 2018: Thank you!

MrsSiriusBlack: First of all, great username. And to answer that, no they haven't slept together yet. I think I addressed this in one of the beach chapters- there's a scene where Eliza talks with Steve about being old fashioned and such. Also, because I'm a Christian and I seek to write clean so anyone can read, I don't write that sort of stuff in general.

NightWish373: Thank you!

* * *

 _I looked up to find that James' gaze had softened. "I don't either," he admitted. "But…if it means that everyone will be safer…that **you** will be safer, then I'm okay with it."_

 _"Just okay?" I pressed worriedly._

 _James answered by kissing me on the forehead. "More than okay, okay?"_

 _I couldn't help but laugh, and he smiled, satisfied at my reaction. We kept on walking, both of us (unbeknownst to the other) trying to get our minds away from what happened the day before._

It was a day that I knew had been coming for a while, but not one that I looked forward to by any means. While a week ago I'd been happily walking along with James and Benjamin on the greenway, today I sat across from a grieving friend.

I handed Wanda another tissue, not knowing what else to do. She'd come in a few minutes ago looking lost, almost like she didn't know how she wound up here. It had only taken a few questions before the truth came tumbling out: it was five years to the day since Pietro died.

"I hadn't even realized," she'd whispered. "but then…I looked at the date, and I knew."

I remembered Clint telling me about what happened when he showed me photos of his family. Pietro, once the guy who wreaked havoc with his sister, died protecting the very people he'd set out to destroy.

"H-He was just gone," she'd sobbed. "I couldn't feel him anymore, he wasn't there-"

It was no wonder to me that it still hurt. I couldn't even begin to imagine what it must have felt like, to know that your other half had been ripped away from you.

"And I wasn't there," she finally swallowed. Her voice was dry, cracking, and defeated. After she wiped her nose, her shoulders slumped, and she clasped her hands together in her lap. "I couldn't save him," she admitted. "And that hurts worst of all."

I didn't know what to say. I'd never lost someone like that before. Sure, I remember going to my grandma's funeral when I was eight, but I hadn't understood what was happening. I didn't understand the pain of having someone one day, then knowing you'll never get them back the next.

The room fell silent as I contemplated my words. "I think…" I started, then paused. "I think most times we don't treasure what we have until it's gone."

Wanda nodded solemnly.

"It's okay to grieve," I continued gently. "It's okay to miss him, it's only natural. At the same time…I'm sure he would want to know that you're okay. That you're safe, that you're smiling…he wouldn't want you to be sad forever. That doesn't mean you don't take your time to deal with how you feel, but what it does mean is that eventually, you have to find a way move on."

She nodded again, this time with more understanding. "Do you…" she stopped, staring out my window. I caught who she was looking at, and I couldn't help but grin. "Do you think he'd approve of Vis?"

I smiled at her. "I think he'd approve of anyone that made you happy."

Wanda sighed lightly. "Yeah…I think he would, too. But sometimes he was a bit much."

I leaned back into my chair. "Oh? How so?"

Suddenly, she snorted and covered her face. "Oh gosh, I don't know if I can even say it."

"Go on," I laughed.

Wanda rolled her eyes. "Okay, so it was when we were fifteen and at the market in town. One of the vendors started hitting on me, and Pietro-"

We must have spent the next two hours in my office, laughing as she told me story after story about her beloved Pietro. It was as though the memories weren't so painful anymore. She was free to enjoy them, free to reminisce and not be sad. I'm sure she still missed him, but that morning, something definitely changed in her.

* * *

"So…should I ask about the green skin?"

"Nope," Sam shook his head. "Not a good idea. She thinks _we're_ the weird ones."

"Huh, interesting…do you think-?"

"'liza, girl, you gotta focus more on your punch than your words."

"Right, sorry."

Seeing as how Steve and James were currently on a routine sweep of abandoned Hydra bases, me and Sam were down in the gym. After what happened last November, nearly everyone had been in agreement on some form of training, and while we weren't the most consistent, I still made an effort to meet up with a different Avenger each week to get some piece of advice. This week turned out to be Sam's shift, and he was hell bent on getting my right hook perfect.

Refocusing my attention, I stared down the punching bag as I beat at it again and again. "Remind me how many of these Steve has gone through?"

Sam nodded his head to the wall on his right. I glanced and saw a number of tally marks scrawled in white chalk.

"We stopped keeping count two years ago," he snorted. "But hey, that's his therapy. Not everyone can talk out their problems. Speaking of which, how'd Wanda do today?" I gave him a curious look, and he simply shrugged. "I keep track of these things."

I threw a few more punches before I replied. "She's getting there," I huffed. "I think she's starting to move on, but it's a process."

"Sure is," he hummed. "Take a break, 'liza. You've earned it."

Stumbling back slightly, I threw him a look that said "ya think?" We'd been down here for almost two hours, after all. I sat down on the bench and opened up my water bottle, eagerly taking a long swig. After I swallowed, I let my eyes wander over to the pair that had entered five minutes ago. "So where are they from again?"

Sam snorted as he sat down next to me. "If I knew, I'd tell ya. Their whole team is from different planets— or at least that's what I think they said. Met up in a prison and busted outta there together."

"Casual," I hummed sarcastically.

Sam couldn't help but laugh. It must have drawn their attention, because before I knew it, they were walking in our direction.

The man had a sparkle in his eyes, almost like a little boy who never grew up. "Hi! I'm Peter, sorry, we're kinda new here, and we didn't know if it was okay to come down here? Because if not, it's totally fine, and-"

"Man, how many times have I told you it's cool?" Sam drawled, shaking his head with amusement. "You're welcome here anytime, as long as you don't park that spaceship of yours on the roof again."

Peter suddenly looked bashful. "Right, my bad, total mistake. And, uh, you are?" he asked, his eyes switching from Sam to me.

I held out a hand and put a smile on. "Eliza Reynolds, nice to meet you. If you ever need help getting used to things around here, let me know. I'm kinda the go-to girl for that."

Peter's eyes lit up again. "Oh, really? Wow, that'd be great! I actually had some questions about this thing called a Zune-"

"We are more than happy to accept your assistance," the woman beside him cut in curtly. I tried my hardest to look her in the eyes, even though I couldn't help but be distracted by the markings on her face.

"This is Gamora," Sam introduced for me. "She's kinda like the space version of Black Widow."

Gamora tilted her head at us. "I do not understand your meaning."

I shared a look with Sam. Yup, definitely like Natasha. "Don't worry-" I smiled, "it's a compliment. He compared you to a friend of ours."

Understanding slowly filled her countenance. "I…thank you for your… _compliment_." The word sounded totally foreign coming out of her mouth, and I couldn't help but wonder how she and the man next to her were holding hands. They were like night and day. Then again, I reminded myself, James and I weren't exactly similar, either.

Speaking of James…

"-so if you guys need any extra security tomorrow, you let me know, because I heard that you guys have some dude who's hypnotized or something? Which is so cool, don't get me wrong, but-"

I forced myself to smile politely as Peter rambled on. It was then that I remembered why I'd dragged myself down here to meet Sam in the first place— to blow off steam. The next trial was tomorrow, and part of me was dying to call the whole thing off. The only thing that kept me from doing it was James. He'd insisted that the shock therapy was helping, insisted that it'd be okay, insisted that he was fine with going through with the operation.

That night, a thousand thoughts ran through my head. James would be back at midnight, only to have to get up seven hours later to go through another trial. And for the millionth time in the past few weeks, I couldn't help but wonder…was it all worth it?


	15. Adaptation

**Adaptation**

DarylDixon'sLover: Poor Bucky, indeed- guy can't seem to get a break.

EllaoftheOpera: Peter Quill is one of those characters that's just super fun to write, so I really enjoyed that scene!

guadalupe1992: Thank you!

SummerMistedDragon: Trust me, you haven't seen anything yet!

* * *

 _That night, a thousand thoughts ran through my head. James would be back at midnight, only to have to get up seven hours later to go through another trial. And for the millionth time in the past few weeks, I couldn't help but wonder…was it all worth it?_

The sirens finally stopped, and I let my fingers fall from my ears. Tony sat across from me, holding his hand. From where I sat, I could tell that something wasn't right with it— the blood gave that much away. I glanced to my left and saw Steve pick James up from the ground. Sam came around to help him, and they made their way to the hospital wing.

"Well that was…"

"Terrible?" I guessed.

Tony shifted in his seat. "Not as bad as last time," he amended. "But yeah, still terrible."

I let out a sigh, slumping down in my chair as I closed my eyes. "There's gotta be a better way," I muttered. "A way that doesn't end in people getting hurt."

"Electric shock?" Tony suggested. I sent him a weary stare, and he held his hands up in defense. "Just a suggestion. Don't give up yet, Lizzie, we've still got a lot of kinks to work out."

"Yeah, and how long will that take?" I grumbled.

After a sigh, Tony sat back in his chair and stretched out his hand, his eyes never leaving me. "Lizzie, I know you're upset right now, but pouting isn't gonna solve anything." My glare turned angry, but he met my eyes calmly. "This isn't going to be Edison's ten thousand ways to not make a light bulb. We're going to figure it out eventually."

I shut my eyes and took in a deep breath. "I _know_ ," I stressed. "I just don't like watching him in pain."

It seemed that Tony couldn't argue with that, so he settled for being quiet. We took in the state of the room: glass shards were scattered all over the floor, one of the doors was ripped off at the hinges, and Wanda's aura filled the room as she struggled to keep objects from crashing to the ground. Vision was by her side, softly instructing her where to place things. Bruce was in the corner, poring over his notes and grasping angrily at his hair. Sam was stationed by an assistant that had gotten knocked out. Our eyes met, and he sent me a look that said everything.

"We can't keep doing this," I whispered, drawing Tony's attention. "Not like this."

He scanned the area. "I can't not agree," he hummed. There was a beat, then he looked at me. "What do you need?"

I glanced around the room quickly. It was thinning out, the only people left now were those I knew I trusted. Even then, I felt unsettled, as if there was a fly on the wall waiting for me to spill information.

"Cameras," I murmured tensely. "Maybe I'm paranoid, but I think something's wrong."

Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see a smirk forming on Tony's face. "So a little R&D, make sure all the bugs are out?"

It took me a moment to realize that Tony was trying (for once) to be subtle. I nodded, unsure of what else to say.

Tony got up slowly and stretched. "Don't you worry your pretty little head, Lizzie," he winked. "I'm always up to check out the playground."

* * *

The only reason I was allowed to sit by James' side was probably because of the fact that I had Captain America escorting me.

'I really owe him one,' I thought absentmindedly. I'd been in the high security hospital room for almost an hour, and James hadn't moved a muscle. Occasionally I would check his heart rate on the screen, but it was always the same even rhythm. Looking at him now, he seemed so peaceful in his sleep. I almost wished I could feel the same, but then I remembered what he'd just been through. No one would want peace at the price of pain.

Steve had left a few minutes ago, sighing as he muttered something about a required meeting. Shockingly, the staff had let me stay, although I had a feeling that was due to Steve's influence yet again. My eyes drifted back up to the heart rate monitor before I finally let them close. It was barely noon, but the day felt like it'd lasted ages.

Foggy with want of sleep, my mind found its way to one of my favorite memories before I dozed off.

 _"Do you think they noticed we were gone?" I wondered._

 _James shrugged. "There's so many people at the party, I doubt it."_

 _"Mm," I hummed, tightening my grip around his arm. "I wouldn't be so sure about that."_

 _The man that had become my boyfriend within the past hour looked down at me with a look that I could now classify— adoration. He'd been giving me that glassy eyed stare for a few weeks now, but I just hadn't been able to put a finger on it before. He pressed a sweet kiss to my hair, and I felt my heart warm._

 _"Don't worry about it," he murmured. I nodded, and we straightened our shoulders in tandem. The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open the next second._

 _The Christmas party opened up before us, and we slipped into the crowd. For a moment, I thought we were completely inconspicuous, but it wasn't long before Steve was standing in front of us with a concerned look._

 _"Where did you two go? I've been looking for you everywhere!"_

 _"Sorry," I grimaced. "You know us— we're not really party people."_

 _At the word "we", Steve's eyes lit up. "So, are you two a… **thing** now?"_

 _"Where'd you learn that term?" I teased._

 _Steve rolled his eyes. "Nat. She keeps asking me about Sharon."_

 _James must have sensed my devious streak emerging, because before I could open my mouth and be nosy about Sharon, he said, "To answer your question, yes, we are a thing now."_

 _I smiled up at James, basking in the sensation of being wanted by someone as wonderful as him._

When I woke up, my brain was clouded over with sleep, but my heart was longing for those simpler days. It felt like forever ago, even though I knew it had only been a few months. A stifled groan from my right distracted me from my thoughts.

I sprung up from my chair and was at his side immediately, brushing his hair out of his eyes as they blinked open.

"Hi, sweetheart," I greeted, forcing a smile onto my face. "How do you feel?"

James groaned. "I've been worse." I nodded in understanding. He took his time to adjust to the bright hospital lights, then he stared up at the ceiling. A few moments passed before he asked, "How many-"

"Stop," I commanded gently. "Don't do that to yourself. Everyone is fine, just a few scrapes, is all."

There was a beat before James chuckled. "You're starting to sound like me."

I smiled sadly. "Guess we've rubbed off on each other."

"Guess so," he hummed. He glanced at the door. "How long have you been here?"

"I'm not sure…I fell asleep for a bit," I said with a shrug. Something inside my head was telling me that this was off, that this was not how it was supposed to be. We weren't meant to be making small talk, not meant to be stopping in conversation because we didn't know what to say. It just wasn't right.

I spent the next minute wondering how to address this out loud, but a noise at the door caught our attention. The door slid open, and a doctor entered. He looked up from his tablet and met my eyes.

"Miss Reynolds, I must ask you to leave. Sargent Barnes will be released tomorrow morning, and until then, we have been told to keep him under extreme supervision."

I opened my mouth to say that such measures shouldn't be necessary, not while he wasn't under the control of the words, but a gentle hand rested on my arm.

"Eliza, I'll see you in the morning, okay? I'll be just fine," he said. His voice had a sense of urgency, even as he tried to calm me down. He squeezed my hand, and I squeezed back.

Holding in a sigh, I got up from the hospital bed and walked to the door. My hand reached for the door, but I couldn't leave just yet. I turned around and waved. "Goodbye for now."

James smiled. "See you soon."

I tried to ignore how defeated our voices sounded.

* * *

"I don't know how to explain it, but things are just…complicated right now," I said, letting out a long sigh after.

"Complicated how?" my mom asked.

I shook my head. "Just complicated."

"Ah, I see," she hummed. "You can't tell me."

A bitter laugh came out of my laugh. "You know the government, mom. There's always secrets."

"Oh we've always known that," she replied.

"True," I shrugged.

I could hear my mom clearing her throat. "Well, since you can't give me the details, then I'll ask this— do you love him?"

Her question startled me. "What? Y-Yes, Mom, I already told you that before-"

"Good," she said. "So fight for him."


	16. Reaction

**Reaction**

DarylDixon'sLover: Can you imagine how diabolical I'd have to be to take you guys on this journey only for them to split up in the end? I don't think I'm that heartless.

NightWish373: Thank you!

guadalupe1992: Thank you!

EllaoftheOpera: I think I've said this before, but Tony is definitely one of my favorite characters to write. He's one of the most complex Marvel characters by far because he screws up all the time, but he truly has a good heart and doesn't mean to.

* * *

 _I could hear my mom clearing her throat. "Well, since you can't give me the details, then I'll ask this— do you love him?"_

 _Her question startled me. "What? Y-Yes, Mom, I already told you that before-"_

 _"Good," she said. "So fight for him."_

"You don't look so good, Eliza."

"Thanks, Bruce, it's not like I couldn't sleep because my boyfriend was being held hostage in the hospital wing or anything."

Bruce raised an eyebrow at me. "Wow, you really are off today."

I met his eyes with a dull glare. "What gave it away?"

The good doctor stared me down as I took a giant swig from my mug. "…a few things," he finally said. "Since when did you like coffee?"

"Since I had to get up this morning at 5am to walk with James back to his room," I muttered. "They decided they wouldn't let him go unsupervised this time, so they called me."

Bruce sat down in his chair and shook his head. "This is insane."

"Tell me about it." I felt like a dead man walking, and though I knew my attitude wasn't helping, I just couldn't help it. I was tired, stressed, and overall feeling an overwhelming lack of hope. I took a seat on a stool and shut my eyes. A few calming breaths later, I was able to meet Bruce's concerned gaze.

"Look, I'm sorry for being crappy today," I sighed. "Things just haven't been going the way I hoped they would."

Bruce gave me a look characteristic of his typical kindness. "It's okay to feel frustrated, Eliza— especially when you two are so close. Whatever impacts him will impact you. Take the time to deal with your emotions."

"Thanks, but I think I'll deal with them later when I have time," I joked dryly. "Right now I want to talk about our last option."

It took a moment before it sunk in, but when it did, Bruce's eyes widened. "Eliza, do you know how dangerous-"

"Yes, I know," I groaned. "But we don't have much of a choice. If you can have a lullaby, then why can't he?"

Bruce didn't reply. His eyes were shut, and he was rubbing his temples. Any residual anger I had fizzled away as I watched him. I wasn't the only one being put through hell right now— he wanted to help just as much as I did. My eyes glanced over at the jar in the corner of our workstation. After a moment's consideration, I got up, grabbed one of the pieces from the jar, and offered it to Bruce.

To anyone else, it looked like an average piece of candy, but we both knew better. We'd been the ones to make the anti-stress formula, after all. Bruce took the drop gratefully and sucked on it while I went around the office tidying up. About ten minutes later, I heard a loud exhale, and I knew that he was feeling better.

I turned to look at him, and he already had his mouth open. "There is a possibility of creating a new neural pathway through a verbal cue, _but_ ," he stressed, "we need to continue with the shock therapy. It's shown the best results so far, and I don't want to give up on that. If you want to work with him on a verbal cue on your own, be my guest. But it has to be specific— something so specific that not a single other person would ever say it to him."

I nodded. "Understood. I'm sure we can come up with something."

Bruce looked ready to say something, but he stopped. Then, "Eliza, I think you need to prepare yourself for what could be an inevitable outcome: this might not work."

My breath hitched, and he looked me in the eye.

"Are you ready to accept that?"

I swallowed hard, my eyes falling to the floor. "Not yet," I whispered. "I don't want to give up yet."

I could feel the sympathy radiating from his eyes.

* * *

"One, two, three, four, five," Tony enunciated, pointing in a different direction with each word. Security cameras stuck out from the corners of the control room. "And a few extra hidden ones, too," he whispered conspiratorially.

Crossing my arms, I nodded in approval. "Looks good. When'd you install them?"

"Last night."

I hummed. "Seen anything so far?"

Tony shook his head. "Not yet. I've got FRIDAY on constant alert— the second she sees something off, she'll let me know. That counts for in the system, too-"

"I'll act like I didn't just hear that."

We spun around to see Fury entering the room. My heart rate sped up with anxiety, but he held out a hand. "At ease, soldier. I never have a problem with a few extra eyes and ears."

"Oh I'll bet you don't," Tony muttered under his breath. I snorted, and Fury fixed both of us with a look.

I sobered up quickly. "I had some files missing about a week ago, so we thought we'd make sure no one was up to something."

Fury raised an eyebrow. "You think Barnes is a target?"

"He's always been," I scoffed. "Who wouldn't want a killing machine you could control with just a few words?"

Tony nodded his head in my direction. "She's got a point. Manchurian candidate's never gonna get a break until he can't be controlled."

For once, I saw Fury side with us immediately. "Agreed." Tony and I stood in shock as Fury whipped around and headed toward the exit. "Keep up the good work, Reynolds," he called out before the door shut.

There was a beat before Tony said, "What am I, invisible?"

* * *

My feet barely left the ground as I made my way across the compound that evening. I was still in this weird sea of exhaustion mixed with steadily increasing apathy. Maybe that's why no one talked to me on my way back. Usually my day was filled with hello's, random conversations, and questions as I walked through the halls. But today was silent, like watching the world pass me by from a car window.

When I finally made it to my destination, I felt my heart get a little bit lighter. The door opened for me, and I walked in as softly as I could. The lights were out, but I could still see James asleep in his bed. A small smile came onto my face as I watched him. After a minute, I set my bag and paperwork down on my spot on his bookcase, shook off my shoes and socks, and made my way over.

I hadn't even had dinner yet, but I didn't really care. I pulled back the covers and slid into the warm bed, curling up by his side. Peace washed over me, and my weary eyes fell shut. The worries of the upcoming trial tried to infiltrate my head, but I pushed them aside. Today had enough problems of its own. I'd deal with things as they came.

Just as sleep began to take me, I felt movement to my right. My eyes blinked open, and I saw James stirring. It took him a moment to realize I was there, but when he did, he didn't say anything, he just put his arm around me and pulled me in tighter. I shut my eyes and snuggled into him. There was a light kiss on my forehead, and I smiled. I was out in minutes.


	17. Reformation

**Reformation**

DarylDixon'sLover: Here's a lovely sappy chapter to offer some reassurance!

EllaoftheOpera: Right though? I got the idea from Fred and George's inventions at their store in Harry Potter. I think they would definitely make something like a de-stress candy!

guadalupe1992: De nada! Enjoy the next chapter!

* * *

 _I hadn't even had dinner yet, but I didn't really care. I pulled back the covers and slid into the warm bed, curling up by his side. Peace washed over me, and my weary eyes fell shut. The worries of the upcoming trial tried to infiltrate my head, but I pushed them aside. Today had enough problems of its own. I'd just deal with things as they came._

 _Just as sleep began to take me, I felt movement to my right. My eyes blinked open, and I saw James stirring. It took him a moment to realize I was there, but when he did, he didn't say anything, he just put his arm around me and pulled me in tighter. I shut my eyes and snuggled into him. There was a light kiss on my forehead, and I smiled. I was out in minutes._

"Te iubesc."

"Te…iubesc."

James kissed my forehead. "Again, you're so close. Just missing the 'y' sound. Maybe you're over thinking it."

I groaned. "This is not the time for me to be bad at foreign languages."

He raised an eyebrow. "Remind me what you took in college?"

"French," I stuck my tongue out. "I hated it."

"Well…" James trailed off, suddenly coming close and nuzzling my neck. "They're both romance languages, so…" He began mumbling something in what I assumed was Romanian. His warm breath on my neck tickled, and I couldn't help but let out a laugh.

I squirmed out of our position and leaned up to look at him. "You're ridiculous, James."

"I know," he grinned. He got up from the big leather chair we occupied and held out a hand. "How about that walk?"

I nearly groaned out loud. Whether he knew it or not, James was the master at driving me insane, and I really wasn't in the mood for walking now. But, I'd been the one to suggest it in the first place, so I knew it would be the best to agree. "Sure, just let me go get my tennis shoes on, okay?"

"Okay," he consented. "Te iubesc."

I scrunched up my nose before I replied. "Te iubesc?"

James' eyes lit up. Before I knew what was happening, he'd gathered me up in his arms and placed his lips on mine. My eyes closed instantly, taking in the bliss that felt so rare now. We parted some time later, eyes wide and hair mussed.

"That was perfect," he said breathlessly.

I burst out laughing. "You cutie," I teased. "I didn't know you'd get that excited if I pronounced it right."

James kissed the top of my head. "It sounds _wonderful_ coming from you," he sighed.

I giggled, looking up into his eyes again. "Well, te iubesc," I said earnestly. That same heated look came back into his eyes, and I grinned. "And on that note, I shall be taking my leave."

He groaned pitifully, holding onto my hand even as I slipped out the door. I couldn't help the smile on my face as I made my way through the hall and up the stairs to my room. Though the past few days hadn't been perfect, they'd been better than expected. Whenever James wasn't in shock therapy with Bruce, he was either training or with me as we worked on our chosen cue words.

We picked the Romanian phrase for several reasons, but mainly because there was a high likelihood that no one else would ever say those words to him. We considered using physical touch as a part of the call off as well, but after seeing the terrified look in his eyes, I quickly discarded the idea. It was evident that he didn't trust the Winter Soldier anywhere near me.

These thoughts swirled through my head as I made quick work of getting changed into exercise clothes. I'd thought that some fresh air might do both of us some good, especially since today was unseasonably warm. I made sure to double knot my shoes before I made my way back downstairs.

* * *

"Why didn't you stay the other night?"

My head tilted. "Hm?"

"When you came in the other night," James clarified. "You could've stayed- I would've been okay with it."

I hummed, "Mm, I just wasn't quite ready for that yet. Thank you for letting me rest for a bit, though. I needed it."

James squeezed my hand. "Of course." We kept walking onward, our sights set on Benjamin as he pulled ahead of us, constantly tugging on his leash. We were silent, both of us lost in our thoughts as we had been for most of the walk.

"…do you think it's gonna work?" James wondered aloud.

"I hope so," I replied truthfully. "I don't want you to live the rest of your life in fear."

He shook his head. "I'm more worried about you, Eliza."

I looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

"I want this to work so that I'll know you're safe, not me."

I sighed, leaning into his arm a bit and taking in the view around me. I stayed quiet for a bit longer before I finally said, "James, it's okay to put yourself first sometimes. This is one of those times. Your safety matters more than anything to me."

"And _your_ safety matters more than anything to _me_ ," he countered. "This is for both of us, Eliza."

I couldn't argue with that. We were making our way back toward the building now, and I didn't want our walk to end on an off note. With silence threatening to swallow us up again, I decided to change the subject.

"If you could go anywhere in the world, right now, where would you go?"

James blinked. "Where'd that come from?"

I shrugged. "Just wanna know what's on your bucket list. Your birthday is coming up next month, after all."

He contemplated my question for a moment. "I'm not sure if I'd want to explore the world…maybe just the United States. I've already seen all I want of the world."

"Mm I gotcha," I hummed understandingly. "What do you wanna see then?"

A smile broke out on his face, and I couldn't help but smile in return. "There's this bean thing that I saw online in Chicago, and I think that'd be neat. I've always wanted to see New Orleans- I think one of my cousins used to talk about it. Then maybe to California, where it's always sunny-"

I contented myself listening to him as he went on about all the places he wanted to explore as we made our way back to his room. It was something normal, for once. Normality seemed so rare in our relationship, what with all the superheroes and global catastrophes that plagued our existence. It was nice to go back to square one, to play twenty questions, to remember why I fell for him in the first place.

We'd just walked into his room, and he was knelt down unclipping Benjamin from his leash when he said, "-and maybe one day, after all this is over and I retire, we can start exploring together."

A jolt of happiness ran through my heart, and I fell completely still. It took James only a moment to notice. He stood up and tilted his head at me. "What's wrong?"

I couldn't help but smile as he walked up to me. My hand reached up and brushed his hair out of his eyes. "You talk like we'll still be together then."

James suddenly looked shy, and it reminded me of when we were first getting to know each other. "Well…I plan on it, Eliza. Don't you?"

A blush crossed my face. "Y-Yes, I mean, I've thought about it- dreamed about it, but I didn't know if- if you thought the same." My eyes were trained on the ground, and I heard James chuckle, relieved, before he pulled me into him.

"I love you, Eliza," he whispered. "And I want to get through all of this so we can be together, happy."


	18. Partition

**Partition**

DarylDixon'sLover: Glad you thought that was beautiful, because just like in Infinity Wars, things are about to get ugly.

Guadalupe1992: Thanks!

EmmiH: I'm happy you found time to read it! The end of the semester has been stressing me out too, so I'm excited to get it over with.

* * *

 _I couldn't help but smile as he walked up to me. My hand reached up and brushed his hair out of his eyes. "You talk like we'll still be together then."_

 _James suddenly looked shy, and it reminded me of when we were first getting to know each other. "Well…I plan on it, Eliza. Don't you?"_

 _A blush crossed my face. "Y-Yes, I mean, I've thought about it- dreamed about it, but I didn't know if- if you thought the same." My eyes were trained on the ground, and I heard James chuckle, relieved, before he pulled me into him._

 _"I love you, Eliza," he whispered. "And I want to get through all of this so we can be together, happy."_

The air was tense. I replayed those words in my mind countless times, using the joy of his promise of our future as my weapon to beat down all of my pent up anxiety. I'd gone to his room first thing this morning, and we spent probably half an hour just cuddling and talking about what we would do for his birthday next month before we headed down here.

As I watched him now, sitting in that cursed metal chair for the third time, I longed for that normalcy to return. Part of me wondered if it was selfish— was I doing all of this for him, or for me? But then his eyes caught mine, and he gave a little wink, and I couldn't help but smile. This was for us, for our future. We were going to fight through it no matter what.

I heard the side door to the lab open, and Bruce was nodding his head. "You can go see him now. You have five minutes."

I said a hurried "thank you" as I rushed past him and into the now empty room. James gave me a grand smile, and I laughed as I leaned down to kiss him on the forehead.

"What are you thinking about, mister?" I inquired.

He glanced at the observation window before he hummed, "Where do you wanna live one day? Here or somewhere else?"

A grin came onto my face as I knelt down in front of him. "Hmm, probably nearby so the commute isn't too long, but kinda remote would be good, too. I've always wanted a farmhouse."

James' eyes lit up. "How many acres?"

"Maybe five-ish," I replied, my eyes staring up at the ceiling in thought.

He nodded. "And what do you want the house to be like?"

I reached out and played with his fingers. I wished the metal restrains that held his hands down would disappear. "Well, I want lots of windows, a big kitchen, probably an office space for both of us…hmm, there needs to be a fireplace in the living room, probably a play room for the kids-"

I turned bright red the second I realized what I had said. My eyes flickered to our hands out of shyness, but then I realized James hadn't said anything. I looked up to see that his face was bright with pleasant surprise.

"A play room for the kids, huh?" he repeated.

I nodded slowly. "Yeah. How many…how many would you want?"

"Three," James answered immediately, and I tilted my head in curiosity. "One is too lonely, and with two the parents pick favorites. Three is the perfect number. Any more, and it starts getting crazy," he explained.

His detailed answer had me giggling, and I leaned up to peck his lips. "I couldn't agree more."

I heard a click, and a moment later the music began playing. Surprisingly, James didn't look as worried as I thought he'd be. Instead, he looked calm, if not still a little thrilled at the prospect of all we had planned.

With a wistful look in my eyes, I stood up and kissed his forehead. "I gotta go. I love you, James."

"I love you, too, Eliza," he whispered.

I held in a sigh as I turned away to leave, but then a thought occurred to me. My hand on the door, I looked back at him. "One more question," I stated seriously.

"Anything," James assented.

"And what color should the walls be?"

A grin broke out on his face. "Yellow, bright and cheery, just like you."

I knew we were being ridiculously sappy, and that the dopey looks in our eyes were probably disgusting, but I couldn't care less at the moment.

"Te iubesc."

"Te iubesc."

With one final shared smile, I walked out.

The feeling of the room I left was much different from the one I was in now. Everyone looked ready to snap into action at a moment's notice, and honestly, it terrified me. Maybe it was the fact that Vision was having to talk with Wanda to calm down her energy, or the way that Tony and Steve were staring me down, but suddenly, the weight of what was about to happen hit me all at once.

Coulson entered the room seconds after this realization, and I swallowed hard. He set the briefcase down, and just like before, we all entered our codes. The case popped open, and before us laid the words on white paper. I vaguely wondered why we had to do it this way still— surely Vision had the list memorized already, just like I did.

My eyes lifted and stared through the four inch thick glass to the one who held my heart. The lights dimmed. I whispered a prayer.

There was a moment of silence, and in that moment, it felt like everyone's thoughts could be heard out loud. Vision left his place by Wanda and stepped forward to the microphone. The white paper in his hand seemed so innocent.

"Mr. Barnes, are you ready?" he asked calmly.

James simply nodded.

Vision took in a weary sigh, his synthetic eyes glancing around at us as though he was searching for approval. His gaze landed on me.

"Go ahead," I told him.

Slowly, Vision turned back. "Mr. Barnes, I shall begin momentarily."

A familiar presence entered my personal sphere, and once I realized who it was, I grabbed Steve's hand. He squeezed back tightly.

"Longing."

James' eyes were gazing lovingly into mine.

"Rusted."

His neck twitched, but he stayed focused on me.

"Seventeen."

His hands grabbed the chair.

"Daybreak."

He was trembling now.

"Furnace.

His eyes were wide with fear.

"…nine…"

He mouthed "I love you."

"Benign."

I whispered it back.

"Homecoming."

He swallowed hard and bowed his head.

"One."

Steve murmured, "Please, God."

"Freight Car."

James' head whipped back up, and my heart shattered. Those eyes weren't his.

The winter soldier ripped his wrists out of the bonds like they were made of paper, and instantly, the room fell into chaos.

"Fire the darts!" Bruce shouted. "Knock him out, now! Before he gets out of range!"

"It's not working!" an assistant cried. "I'm pushing the button, but nothing's happening!"

My eyes went wide, and Steve began to pull me toward the door. "Eliza, you have to go!"

But I couldn't. I was in a trance, dazedly watching as the winter soldier beat at the glass relentlessly.

Then suddenly, it hit me. The words.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I registered the fact that I was walking through a war zone. The fact that Steve was yelling my name. The fact that people were screaming, glass was shattering, and deadly red energy was flowing around me. But I pushed it all aside, my only focus being the man I'd been dreaming of my future with. And I was not going to let that be taken away from us.

He had just knocked Sam to the ground when I approached him. He whipped around, his stone cold eyes staring into me, but I felt no fear. And for a moment, he stilled. His eyes were confused as they gazed into mine. His fists lowered slowly, and I held out my hand.

"Te iubesc," I spoke just loud enough for him to hear.

Recognition flickered in his eyes. He was frozen, lips parted as though he knew he should say something, but didn't know what.

I smiled gently. "Te iubesc," I repeated.

His hand was reaching toward me now, just inches away…

 _"Eliza!"_ Tony shouted.

Suddenly, his eyes went cold again. The winter soldier snapped back into action, throwing a fist before I could move.

I never did remember what happened next. All I could recall were muffled screams, watching the door being ripped off its hinges, and sirens wailing throughout the compound.

When I finally came to, Steve's worried face was in front of mine. "He's gone, Eliza. He got away."


	19. Realization

**Realization**

DarylDixon'sLover: Your "oh no" is literally everyone since Infinity War.

NightWish373: But come on, what kind of story would it be if everything just went well all the time? (Honestly, probably a story that everyone would like much more, but that's no fun.)

CalistaLegaci: And here we are!

Rohirrim Girl 2187: Bless Tony. We love him, but sometimes you wanna hate him just a little bit (but not too much). And yes, I thought I'd put in some future planning just to make the separation that much worse.

kuppcake: I just had to keep you guessing!

EmmiH: I know, I realized during this that I'm adding to the multitude of times where we've gone "I can't believe Bucky is separated from them AGAIN."

SummerMistedDragon: Because that's what authors do, honey. We write lovely characters and then break them.

* * *

 _When I finally came to, Steve's worried face was in front of mine. "He's gone, Eliza. He got away."_

"She shouldn't have been allowed in there in the first place!"

"She's not a kid, Tony, she can make her own decisions!"

"This isn't her getting a tattoo or not, this is her life, Rogers!"

"You think I don't know that?"

"I think you could've done a better job at protecting her! What were you doing letting her get so close to him like that?"

"I thought she could help-"

"And look what happened!"

"Both of you, shut up!" I finally shouted. Tony and Steve didn't look at me, continuing their glaring contest in silence. I groaned loudly, adjusting the ice pack on my head as I got up and stood in between them.

I eyed Tony first. "You shouldn't be blaming him so much," I stated, then turned to Steve, "-and you shouldn't be mad at him for caring about my safety. None of us are happy right now, and all you two are doing is giving me a headache worse than I already had, so if you two could **stop arguing** already, I'd really appreciate it!"

This had been going on for way too long already, and honestly, I was surprised I hadn't snapped sooner. Everyone knew that Steve and Tony didn't always see eye to eye on everything, but it seemed that when it came to me, it was worse.

Both of them had their heads down in guilt, now. I noticed Tony swallow, but he didn't meet my eyes when he murmured, "How's your head?"

I lowered the bloody ice pack for him to see, and that's when they both looked up. Their eyes shared the same look of brokenness, and I immediately covered it back up.

"Are you sure you can wait for the Wakandans to arrive?" Steve asked worriedly.

"There's gotta be something I can do," Tony added on quickly.

I shook my head. "Bruce said only they'll know how to fix a wound like this," I told them with a resigned sigh. "Apparently only Vibranium can heal a wound caused by itself."

At that moment, the door to the common area opened up, and in walked Agent Coulson followed by an irate looking Agent Ross.

"The tracker in his arm is dead," Coulson reported. "We suspect he tore it out the second he left the compound."

I let out another sigh, then winced when the pain in my head suddenly spiked. Steve's hand went to my shoulder.

"When are the Wakandans arriving?" he asked.

Agent Ross raised his eyebrows, incredulous. "That's what you're worried about right now? We have a brainwashed assassin on the loose, and you're-"

"Let's try this again," Tony interrupted, his tone dangerously serious. "When are the Wakandans arriving?"

Coulson's eyes flickered to me. "ETA five minutes. The princess was at the Bronx School of Science giving a speech when we called."

Tony nodded firmly. "Good. Tell them she can set up in my lab. Lizzie, come on-" he said, wandering over to me and putting an arm around my waist. "Let's get you drugged up. Whatever voodoo they got isn't gonna feel good."

As we made our way to the door, Coulson cleared his throat. "There's…also someone else missing from the compound," he announced.

At our curious looks, Agent Ross showed us a profile on his tablet. "Jackson Matthews, former CIA Black Ops and tech expert. He was under your and Dr. Banner's direct command."

Tony, Steve, and I shared a wary glance.

* * *

Hours later, I was pouring over the profile Coulson and Ross had left on my desk. The Vibranium stitches were starting to sting now that the pain killers were wearing off, and my brain was still fuzzy from the anesthesia, but I pushed forward.

According to the file, Matthews had been working here for barely a month before he gained special security access. No one thus far could confirm who'd given it to him, and no one could find a reason why he would need it. Not long after, he'd received a reprimand for being in the lab after hours, but nothing out of the ordinary was found after a security sweep. Around that time, he was suddenly transferred from the health department to science, specifically onto our hand picked team to handle James even though no one could recall selecting him.

But that wasn't even the worst part. Apparently he'd been trained under the same unit as Erik Stevens, a man who— as Ross put it— racked up kills like it was a video game. A man that was now known as Killmonger, the one who tried to steal the Wakandan throne from King T'Challa.

It was all too suspicious, all too well timed, and all too easily swept under the rug. How had we missed something like this? He should have been marked as a person of interest from the beginning, and certainly shouldn't have been placed on our team.

I went to rub my forehead, and the cut on my head gave a sharp sting. I sighed, lying my head down on my desk and using my arms as a pillow. This had been the longest and most dreadful day of my entire life, and I still couldn't process that it had even happened.

Fragments of the morning flashed before me. Our good morning kiss. Walking down the halls. Talking about a house. Him explaining how many kids he wanted. The color of the walls. The words. His cold eyes. The flicker of hope. A metal fist hurling toward me. Then the inky black.

All I wanted to do was go to sleep and wake up to find that it had all been a nightmare.

"So I hear your boyfriend went AWOL."

My head shot up from my desk. I blinked. Before me stood a raccoon walking on two feet.

"…yes," I answered slowly.

He nodded, his nose twitching as he did so. "But he was a mess, wasn't he? Just like me— torn apart and put back together again, without a clue in the world of what to do next," he drawled. "A screwed up science experiment waiting for the scrap heap."

My teeth were starting to grind together, but I tried to hold my voice steady. "He wasn't a screwed up experiment-"

"Oh sure he was!" the raccoon scoffed. "Garbage, junk, trash, whatever you wanna call it."

"He wasn't," I insisted, my bottom lip trembling. "You didn't know him."

He laughed dryly. "Hey, takes one to know one. Once people are done working on us, we're just useless-"

"Stop," I insisted.

"-unwanted-"

 _"Stop."_

There was a devious gleam in his eyes. "-unnecessary waste of time-"

In a flash, I stood up from my desk. "No he wasn't!" I exclaimed. "James was everything to me! He was my _world_ and my _life_ and I didn't _care_ about his past or the fact that he was messed up because in _my_ eyes he was perfect, and that was all that mattered, and _you_ don't get to come in here and tell me he's not worth it just because he's gone!"

"So what are you gonna do about it?" he challenged.

I blinked. "Huh?"

"You love this guy don't you?" he said. "Well? Don't you?"

"Y-Yes-"

"Then go get him!" he cried, banging his paws on my desk for emphasis. Suddenly, his brown eyes were full of sympathy, and his muzzle pulled into a frown. "If you knew how many times I wished there was someone in my life that cared enough to go after me when I was at my worst…" he trailed off, shaking his head.

When the raccoon raised his head again, he was smiling. "You go get that piece of trash and make sure he knows how much he means to you, okay?"

Dazedly, I nodded.

He gave a gruff nod back, then held out a paw. "Name's Rocket, by the way."

I hesitated for a moment before I shook his paw with my index finger and thumb. "Elizabeth Reynolds."


	20. Intention

**Intention**

Literally everyone's reviews were about Rocket, so I'm just gonna address that all together. The funny thing is, I wrote that scene with him and Eliza at least a month ago. And if you've seen Infinity Wars, then you know now that he has a very similar "therapy scene" with Thor, and as I was watching it, I was like 'wow my headcannon just came true and no one is going to believe that I wrote about this before it happened.'

* * *

 _When the raccoon raised his head again, he was smiling. "You go get that piece of trash and make sure he knows how much he means to you, okay?"_

 _Dazedly, I nodded._

 _He gave a gruff nod back, then held out a paw. "Name's Rocket, by the way."_

 _I hesitated for a moment before I shook his paw with my index finger and thumb. "Elizabeth Reynolds."_

"You're joking."

I tossed another sweater into my bag before I huffed and looked up at him, hands on my hips. "I'm not joking, Tony."

He gave a delirious little laugh. "Then you're insane!"

I shrugged. "Possibly."

Tony was in front of me now, blocking me from my bag with a determined stare and crossed arms. "Elizabeth, you are not going out there-"

"Then who is?" I challenged as I threw up my hands.

He gave a frustrated groan. "People more qualified, people who have armor, and guns, and experience, and equipment. Not you, a civilian who has barely any training and is living in a fairy tale thinking that she can say some magic words and fix everything."

My stony eyes gazed into his, even as they filled with tears. "I loved him, Tony," I said firmly. "And I am _not_ giving up on him."

The older man held out his arms, and I let myself be wrapped in them, grateful for his warm embrace. "Neither are we," he assured me soothingly. "We just need time to get ourselves together, gather intel. We can't go running into a fight blind."

I sighed into his chest. "How much time?"

He shrugged. "I don't know how long it'll take to track him. Without his tracer, well…he's a needle in a haystack, Lizzie. A haystack with seven billion pieces of hay."

I nodded, stepping back from the hug and crossing my arms stubbornly. "If we don't have any leads within a week, I'm going to find him myself."

Tony looked like he wanted to protest, but all he did was nod. A beep called the conversation to a full stop, and he checked his phone to see what it was.

His eyebrows raised. "Avengers meeting— and you're the guest of honor."

* * *

"Every time I try to step away, something always pulls me back in," Fury lamented.

I cast him a slightly guilty look, but he waved a hand. "Nah, I'm just messin' with you guys. Retirement was gettin' boring anyways," he grunted as he took a seat at the head of the table. It struck me that being surrounded by superheroes would have used to phase me, but now it was totally normal. "So what have you clowns done this time?"

Steve cleared his throat. "Bucky's gone missing."

"And he's under his Winter Soldier programming," Natasha added.

Fury raised an eyebrow. "Is someone controlling him?"

Vision spoke up, "Not that we know of, sir."

"Dude can still throw a nasty punch, though," Sam tacked on. I saw several of the Avengers look down at their wounds from the day before in silent agreement.

After nodding, the former SHIELD director stared everybody down. "So, what's the plan? Come on, kids, I can't do all the work around here."

"An agent found his tracker just outside our boundaries last night," Coulson reported. "So that's a bust."

"He isn't anywhere near us— I would be able to sense his energy if he was," Wanda explained.

Clint leaned forward in his chair. "And our sweeps haven't found him. It's like he dropped off the map."

Princess Shuri inclined her head toward Fury. "Our scanners are far more advanced. I am sure my brother would be more than happy to use them to find the white wolf."

A little smile played on my lips at the nickname— she had told me all about it after I'd come out of surgery. Apparently the Princess had been James' personal doctor during his stay in Wakanda.

Fury was nodding now, but on his left, Tony's face was hesitant. "Even if we do find him, we'll be in for the fight of our lives trying to pin him down."

An uneasy feeling settled around the table, and I felt my heart grow heavy. I knew what James- no, what the Winter Soldier would do if he was cornered. He would lash out and attack, even if he didn't know why. He was running on survival instincts at this point, especially since he was without direction from a handler.

"I don't get it," Peter Parker piped up suddenly. All eyes went to him, and he looked flustered. "I-I mean, if we have all of us against him, how hard can it be?"

Now, a dark weird feeling of darkness was cast over the group. Natasha's eyes were grim, Thor was frowning, Peter Quill squirmed anxiously, and Rocket looked like he knew the answer all too well. My eyes met Steve's for a brief second before we looked away.

Finally, Rhodes cut through the silence with a dry chuckle. "Kid, you have no idea."

All was still again, and Fury's eye scanned the room. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Right now, you have your assignments, so let's get to work," he instructed with a firm slap to the table.

At that, everyone got up and began to scatter to their different places. I started to make my way toward Bruce, but heard my name and turned around.

I found Wanda facing me, smiling but looking a little anxious as she played with the ends of her sleeves like usual. "Eliza, I was wondering…" she trailed off unsurely. "I was wondering if you were alright? You always take care of everyone else, and it seems without Sergeant Barnes, there may not be many people to see how you are."

Though I was touched by her concern, I also knew that she already had plenty on her mind lately. So I plastered on a fake smile and said, "I'm dealing with it all just fine, but thanks, Wanda. I really appreciate it."

Suddenly, the young woman was fixing me with a stern look. "Eliza, you are aware that I can read minds, yes?"

My heart jumped with anxiety. "R-Right," I laughed nervously. Her knowing stare continued, and my head dropped. "Yeah, I might have forgotten about that," I mumbled.

Her hand reached out to take mine, red energy swirling around it. I let her take it, immediately feeling her presence in my mind. She made her observations quickly, and for that I was grateful. There was nothing stranger than feeling someone inside your head.

I hadn't realized I'd closed my eyes until I opened them again and saw Wanda looking at me with sympathy.

"You aren't accepting it," she chided gently. "You are refusing to."

My throat felt like it was tightening, and she sent a wave of comfort. "It doesn't seem real that he's gone," I admitted shakily. "I still feel like I could go to his room, and he'd be right there, waiting for me. Steve's been taking care of Benjamin for me because the first time I tried to see him, I started crying."

There was a red glow in Wanda's eyes now. "A wise woman once told me that most times we don't treasure what we have until it's gone," she said. I wondered for a moment who she was talking about, but then she sent me a memory— those words were my own, spoken to her on the anniversary of Pietro's death.

Wanda pulled me out of the memory and squeezed my hand. "If you need a friend, Eliza, you will always have one in me," she promised.

I smiled gratefully at her, noting how Vision came up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I, too, would like to offer my assistance, Miss Elizabeth, though I must say I can be terribly mechanical at offering comfort sometimes."

My eyes fell to where his hand was, and a pang of hurt ran through my heart. If only James were here for me now to do the same.

Wanda must have sensed my thoughts, because she brushed Vision's hand off casually. "We are all here for you, Eliza, whether you realize it or not," she said. "You have been there for so many of us— now it is time for us to return the favor."


	21. Infiltration

**Infiltration**

DarylDixon'sLover: Oh don't worry, I ain't the Russo brothers. I want my Bucky to stay!

Guest: Honestly friends are what will get you through most things! Obviously I love romance and I love Eliza and James' relationship, but I feel like it's important to explore her connections with everyone else too.

BabyiG: Thank you! It's only gonna get crazier from here!

guadalupe1992: Thank you!

SeverusSnape'sLove: First, great username. Second, thank you! I work very hard to make sure my OC's are multidimensional.

* * *

 _My eyes fell to where his hand was, and a pang of hurt ran through my heart. If only James were here for me now to do the same._

 _Wanda must have sensed my thoughts, because she brushed Vision's hand off casually. "We are all here for you, Eliza, whether you realize it or not," she said. "You have been there for so many of us— now it is time for us to return the favor."_

"-but I thought you said it was undetectable."

"It is undetectable for you, Mr. Stark, because you never knew to look for it," Shuri corrected. "Our scanners will be capable of locating even the tiniest speck of Vibranium within an instant."

I rubbed the new scar on my forehead, hoping that the headache that was forming would vanish. This meeting had already been going on for far too long, and most of the science mumbo jumbo went completely over my head.

Agent Ross looked peeved as he leaned forward and asked, "Then how come you never used it to track down Klaue?"

The princess raised her chin. "I said it tracked Vibranium, not Klaue. He kept moving."

"But you could have gotten the Vibranium back before he sold it to arms dealers," Agent Ross insisted.

"They did not know how to truly handle it," Shuri replied tactfully. "They were not a threat."

"But still-"

"Back on subject, please," I cut in with annoyance. The two looked surprised that I'd spoken up after an hour of silence.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Tony smirk before he shrugged. "I don't see what's stopping us, so let's fire this bad boy up."

Shuri nodded firmly in affirmation, but I noticed a hint of hesitation in her eyes. "The only problem would be if he fled to Wakanda," she pointed out.

"It'd be like camouflage," I murmured.

"Exactly," she agreed. "Although I do have my doubts as to how he could get there, he is still incredibly familiar with how to access our country."

Sighing, I forced myself to sit up straighter in my chair and try to regain some sense of alertness. "The Winter Soldier only has very partial access to James' memories," I reminded them. "The neural pathways specific to James are for all intents and purposes shut off to optimize the Winter Soldier's performance. So even if he can remember how to get to Wakanda, the memory would be fuzzy at best. He is more likely to head toward a place he was most recently thinking about due to the recency effect."

Agent Ross tilted his head. "Which would be where?"

"I'm not sure," I admitted, flushing slightly. "The last thing we spoke about was within the nearby vicinity. I'm trying to recall anything else."

Tony patted me on the shoulder reassuringly. "No one's perfect, Lizzie, but keep at it. The rest of us will go work our magic," he said, nodding at Shuri.

The room began to empty, and I got up to leave as well, but I noticed that one person hadn't moved yet. As I walked toward him, I noticed the files spread out on the table in front of him. Agent Jackson Matthews' face stared at me from the top of a packet, and I glared back.

"Found him yet?" I inquired.

Agent Coulson shook his head. "He's dropped off the map," he sighed. "Desk empty. Data wiped. Logs gone. It's like he was never here."

I nodded understandingly and walked away, even though my veins felt like they were on fire with anger.

* * *

I tried to calm my nerves as I walked down the corridor. Steve had texted me five minutes ago, and ever since, all the flood of emotions that I'd been forcing down had emerged with unprecedented strength. But suddenly, I was there, standing before the door I'd been avoiding for the past two days, and I felt like I could hardly breathe. Unfortunately for me, I couldn't ignore it this time. It had already scanned my signature and was now sliding open.

When I entered the room, it felt eerily still. The final rays of sunlight were streaming through the windows, a dim orange glow next to the shadows that were creeping in to replace them. Then, there was movement— Benjamin raised his head sleepily from the bed, blinked once, then scrambled up and ran over to me.

There were unshed tears stinging in the corners of my eyes as I leaned down and scratched his ears. "Hey boy, have you missed me?" I greeted gently. "I'm sorry for, well, a lot of things. Has Steve been good?"

At the familiar name, Benjamin's ears perked up, and I managed a laugh. "Remind me to thank him later…" I trailed off. My eyes roamed around the room once more, and a heavy weight settled on my chest. Slowly, I wandered over to the bed and sat down, Benjamin hopping up immediately to lay by my side.

I petted the german shepherd absentmindedly. I could still smell James' cologne in the air, and it was torturous. Weird to think how happy we had been in this room two days ago, chatting and laughing without a care in the world. After a moment, I looked down at Benjamin and gave him a bittersweet smile.

"Mama's gonna find him, okay? I promise we'll bring him back," I swore to him. Benjamin let out a whine, and all I could do was wrap my arms around him and squeeze, hoping that it offered some comfort to the confused companion.

A minute passed before I was able to let him go and stand up. "Alright, well, I guess we need to get that walk in before it gets too dark," I sniffed, wiping at my eyes before the tears fell. I started to walk toward where the leash was. "Come on, boy, let's-"

The lights flickered.

I raised an eyebrow. A loud beep went off. The door to the room slid open. My eyes went wide.

Then the room was plunged into darkness.

My heart was beating out of control. "Benjamin, come here," I called softly. I heard his little metal boot on the floor as he came to stand by me obediently. He nuzzled my hand, and I whispered, "Good boy."

Another minute passed— now I was picking up shouting from the hallways— before my vision had adjusted and I was able to move. I moved as quickly and quietly as possible, rushing over to James' closet and unlocking the safe at the back. I pulled out the first pistol I found, checked that it was loaded, then turned back to the dog who'd been trailing me.

"Let's go, Benjamin," I commanded. Something flashed in his dark eyes, and in that moment, I'd never been more grateful that we adopted a former police dog.

We walked out of my room and down the hallway, clinging to the shadows on the wall for cover. The shouting I'd heard earlier was distant now— it must have moved away from the residential area.

 _I could hardly hear the gears turning in the walls over the sound of blood rushing in my ears. I held my gun firm as I exited the room, the lengthy corridor stretching out before me. Sparks flew from a control panel on the wall, and all the lights went out. The sounds of fighting were growing louder, but I didn't stop. The carpet padded my footsteps as I approached the living room. I heard one final yelp, and then a thud. My heart rate increased, but I forced myself to turn the corner-_

I slapped myself lightly. This was no time to get caught up in the past. That was a long time ago. I was ready this time.

My gun steady in front of me, we kept going step by step toward the old bunker in the south wing. Given all the lights out, doors open, and fuzzy screens, a tech blackout seemed to be the obvious culprit. And if that was the case, the usual protection systems would be worthless. The only safe place would be that bunker.

My mind flickered back to the London safe house.

 _A man stood in the center of the room, a small army of fallen men at his feet. His back was to me, and his shoulders were tense. I cocked the gun and held it up, but stopped my finger from pulling the trigger. There was a gleam of metal peaking through a slash in his coat._

I gritted my teeth. James wasn't coming to my rescue this time. I had to accept that.

We were almost out of the residential area now. The shouting grew louder. When I turned the final corner, all I saw was chaos.

Agents of all fields were running everywhere, bumping into each other in the dark.

"The barrier's down!"

"Get the backup generators running!"

"Containment units are open, sir!"

"We can't access anything!"

"All systems down!"

My heart rate increased, but I pushed forward through the crowd with Benjamin hot on my heels. Suddenly, I saw Steve across the room, and a sense of relief came over me.

I whipped around to motion to my dog. "Come on, boy, this way-!"

An agent knocked into me, practically throwing me to the floor. I groaned at the pain that ignited in my shoulder. But then I heard growling.

I blinked as I tried to sit up. "Benjamin?"

The German shepherd was no longer by my side, but was crouched low as he approached the man who hit me, growling viciously.

My eyes widened. "Ben-"

He lunged forward, grabbing the agent by the ankle and dragging him down. The man tried to kick, but Benjamin's teeth only sunk in deeper, and he let out a cry. The agent fell down to the ground, cursing as he held the leg that Benjamin had finally let go of.

I stood up shakily. "Benjamin, what are you-"

Benjamin barked, once, twice, then again. He leapt forward and put his front paws on the man's chest, holding down as he started to sniff. Suddenly, his ears perked up, and he began barking again.

At this point, I knew he had to be on to something. I grabbed my pistol off the ground and pointed it at the wounded agent. Benjamin seemed to recognize the signal, and so he began to dig his muzzle into the man's jacket.

"Hey! Hey! Get your dog off me!" the agent shouted. All I did was hold the gun steady.

A moment later, Benjamin pulled out a pile of crinkled papers. He laid them down before me, then barked once more.

The scene must have gathered attention, because all too soon, a familiar presence entered my sphere. Steve analyzed the situation quick enough to know to put a foot on the man's chest to keep him down.

Finally, I lowered the gun and bent over to pick up the papers. If it hadn't been such a difficult two days, maybe I would've been shocked. But all I could do was stare numbly at the wiring schematics and missing file from several weeks ago, all of it covered in a fine yellow dust.

Bruce stumbled into our area, and his eyes grew wide. "E-Eliza, that's uranium."

I dropped the papers immediately, my hands frozen as though they were burned.

Steve pushed his boot a little harder into the man's chest. "Who are you?" he demanded.

That moment, the lights flickered back on. I felt all the air leave my lungs when I saw the man's face.

Agent Jackson Matthews cast Steve a bored look before he grinned up at me. "Hey, boss."


	22. Elimination

**Elimination**

DarylDixon'sLover: Trust me, all will be well...eventually.

gaudalupe1992: Your wish is my command!

Rohirrim Girl 2187: Yes, thank you for being the one person to pick up on the uranium and Benjamin!

Aurro sister of Morro: Of course I had to bring Agent Matthews back! Couldn't let him get away after all he put them through.

NightWish373: Oh snap is right!

spiritjumper: Dude, we've all binge read stories before. I'm glad you liked mine enough to do so!

SummerMistedDragon: Uh oh is right, my friend.

* * *

 _Bruce stumbled into our area, and his eyes grew wide. "E-Eliza, that's uranium."_

 _I dropped the papers immediately, my hands frozen as though they were burned._

 _Steve pushed his boot a little harder into the man's chest. "Who are you?" he demanded._

 _That moment, the lights flickered back on. I felt all the air leave my lungs when I saw the man's face._

 _Agent Jackson Matthews cast Steve a bored look before he grinned up at me. "Hey, boss."_

I wanted more than anything to wipe the smug look off the face of the man on the other side of the glass, and by the mood in the room right now, so did everyone else. Although, I did have to say that the bloody bandage on his ankle gave me some satisfaction. I'd have to give Benjamin an extra treat later.

"I don't see what all the fuss is about," Agent Jackson Matthews chuckled. "Seems like I did you a favor, getting that mess out of your hands."

Agent Coulson raised an eyebrow. "You call releasing an assassin into the world a favor?"

"I call it my job," Matthews shrugged.

Coulson leaned back in his chair. "And what exactly does that job entail? Inquiring minds want to know."

Matthews' eyes trailed lazily toward the two way glass. "I'm sure they would."

"I hate it when someone else holds all the cards," Tony said through clenched teeth.

The agent turned back to Coulson with a smirk. "Tell me, what is _your_ job again?" he challenged.

"Our job is protect the world against people like you," Coulson replied cooly.

"Right right, the whole 'get the bad guys, be the hero' deal," Matthews hummed. "Well here's the thing— people like me? We think you guys suck at it."

I could practically _feel_ everyone's anger grow.

"People like you, huh? CIA Black Ops?"

"Yeah," Matthews grinned. "You guys should leave it to the experts—"

"Experts who leave incriminating evidence behind?"

Matthews glowered at the accusation, and even though I should have been anxious at the reminder of the uranium covered papers, I smiled.

The agent's chin lifted. "We don't leave a mess after our cat fights, not near the size of your catastrophes."

Coulson leaned forward. "May I remind you that your unit was shut down due to corruption and insubordination. I don't know if 'expert' is the right word for your team of outlaws."

"And what about your outlaws?" he shot back. "I don't see Captain America's signature on those accords."

"Regardless of what we are or are not, _you_ are on a team who has been banned of all action in any country. You're under our jurisdiction, now."

An unsettling gleam of victory shown in Matthews' eyes. "But I'm only one of many. How are you gonna catch us all when we're already one step ahead of you?"

My heart skipped a beat.

Coulson gave an unimpressed look. "You've already tracked down Barnes, then, is that it?"

Matthews scoffed. "The last thing we want is to have to deal with that maniac. See here's the thing, Agent, you still don't get it. This whole operation you got going here? Made up of people with more than a few screws loose. And we don't think they're the ones who should get to call the shots. They can barely be in charge of their own lives, so why should they be in charge of this whole planet's people?"

Coulson crossed his arms. "So you think you and your team should be the ones to replace them?"

"We already are," Matthews said. "And soon everyone will see that."

I couldn't take it anymore. Abruptly, I stood up from the chair and went toward the door. I saw Wanda's concerned glance as I left, along with plenty others, but I just nodded and kept going.

I let out a giant sigh as soon as I was out of the room, slumping back against the wall next to the door. And to think, all this time Matthews had been right under my nose. How long was it going to be like this? How long would there be people trying to hunt down or break up the Avengers? How long would we have to live our lives in paranoia, constantly waiting for the next battle?

My mind drifted back to what was now three days ago. Would me and James ever be able to get what we wanted? Maybe it was all too far fetched, too much of a fairy tale to believe that we could one day live together in peace and live normal lives.

"Hey, you okay?"

I practically whipped around to see Clint standing there with his hands up.

"Easy, girl, it's just me," the archer chuckled. "You left pretty quick."

My eyes dropped to the ground. "I didn't think I could listen to much more of that," I admitted softly.

He gave a sigh. "Yeah, none of us want to either. It sucks to hear someone criticize your life's work," he lamented.

I gave him a curious look. While Clint and I were familiar with each other, I would consider him more of an acquaintance than a close friend. So why was he behaving this way?

Suddenly, his phone went off in his back pocket. "Sorry, give me a sec," he muttered. I waved a dismissive hand, still confused as to what he was doing. He opened up the call and smiled immediately. "Hey sweetheart! Yeah, I'll be there in just a minute…okay, maybe two minutes, you know how I am."

A smile came onto my face. He must be talking to his wife.

"Uhuh…yeah, I'm bringing a friend," he said, winking at me. "Yup, be there soon!"He hung up and pocketed his phone, then immediately turned to me. "Laura's here with the kids for a visit. Wanna come?"

I suddenly realized what he was trying to do. Just like Wanda and Vision, he was trying to make sure I was taken care of, that I had company. A warm feeling bloomed in my heart, and I nodded.

"Great, let's go!"

I followed Clint through the halls in silence, letting my mind wander back through what I could remember of his file. He had three kids, and hopefully I'd be able to recall their names once I saw them.

After a few minutes, Clint cleared his throat. "They, uh, they get you cleared with that uranium stuff?"

I nodded, unwittingly wiping my hands against my jeans. "It shouldn't have been enough radiation to harm me, but we're waiting for the test results. Tony's got Friday tracing their location with the signature."

Clint hummed approvingly. "They know what it was for?"

"Bombs, probably," I snorted. "What else?"

He clapped a hand on my shoulder. "Feels like this crap never ends, doesn't it?" he sympathized. "But we know that the fight has to be fought— that's what makes it all worth it."

I couldn't exactly find a response— not while I was in the middle of what felt like a cycle of chaos and confusion— but turns out I didn't need one. We had arrived at a set of frosted doors, and with a big grin on his face, Clint opened them.

"Daddy!" came the squeals from inside. Clint laughed as he was immediately surrounded by his children.

I hung back awkwardly. I knew he'd invited me to come with him, but it still felt like I was intruding on a private family moment.

But then, I noticed his wife Laura giving me a welcoming smile. "Don't be shy! They don't bite," she said.

I cracked a grin before I walked in. Clint looked up at me and chuckled. "Kids, can you say hi to Eliza?" Suddenly, the kids seemed a little shy, waving silently at me. Clint rolled his eyes fondly. "Eliza, this is Cooper, Lila, and Nathaniel," he introduced with a nod at each kid.

"It's so great to meet you all!" I smiled. "Natasha's told me plenty of good things."

Lila's eyes widened. "Is Aunty Nat here, Daddy?"

Clint shook his head. "She's working today, sweetheart, but-" he grinned, "-she did give me this to give you!" He pulled a card out of his back pocket with a flourish, and Lila jumped up to grab it. She took it and ran over to a little couch, Cooper and Nathaniel following eagerly.

Laura shook her head. "Kids," she said affectionately. We wandered over to sit with them, though I sat at just a bit of a distance to give the family their space.

It was a treat to watch, really. Clint and Laura seemed to be all smiles, even when one of the kids would occasionally whine or pout. My mind drifted back to James' thoughts of how many kids were the perfect amount, and I smiled. It seemed that his theory of three was correct.

But I felt my smile fade as the reality of the situation settled in. Who knew where he was or when I'd see him again…if ever. I wanted to push that thought aside, but when I did, it seemed like there were only more questions. How could we ever find this peace and happiness? It seemed impossible, what with spies and bombs and secrets surrounding us at all times. We would always live in a world of chaos no matter how hard we tried to ignore it.

I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't notice Clint wander over until he put a hand on my shoulder.

"Sometimes I get scared when I think about the crazy world my kids are gonna grow up in," he thought aloud, staring at his children as they read the card. "Then again, I think every parent thinks that."

Suddenly, he gave me a thoughtful look. "It is possible, Eliza. You can have all this."

I wanted to know how he'd read my mind, but instead, I just settled for smiling and nodding. Maybe one day…maybe then it'd be possible.

A buzz in my phone alerted me to a text.

I pulled it out instantly, my heart skipping a beat when I saw what Bruce sent. I shoved the screen in Clint's face.

"They found James," I said breathlessly.

His eyes went wide. I took off running to Tony's lab.


	23. Altercation

**Altercation**

DarylDixon'sLover: I keep trying to subtly assure you that everything will be okay, so trust me, it'll all be okay in the end! We still have seven chapters to go!

guadalupe1992: As always! I can't believe we're already on chapter 23, though. Time flies when you're having fun!

Rohirrim Girl 2187: I think we all want to punch Matthews in the face, to be honest.

kuppcake: My entire goal was to get you to hate Matthews, so I'm glad I succeeded!

SummerMistedDragon: Who would I be if I didn't end on a cliffhanger?

Toreh: Thank you! I don't recognize your username, so if you're new, welcome!

lovingvamp346: Oh gosh now we're bringing Deadpool into this? I don't hate Matthews **that** much.

Aurro sister of Morro: Dude you just wait, I have so much fluff planned in the next few weeks.

J K Holmes: Hello! I update every Saturday, so yes, we will continue!

* * *

 _A buzz in my phone alerted me to a text._

 _I pulled it out instantly, my heart skipping a beat when I saw what Bruce sent. I shoved the screen in Clint's face._

 _"They found James," I said breathlessly._

 _His eyes went wide. I took off running to Tony's lab._

Bruce was one of the few Avengers left at the compound, and that was simply because he was keeping a steady eye on the Vibranium tracker Shuri left. Everyone else was heading out to Chicago, getting closer by the minute. And here I was, sitting almost too calmly in a chair at the back of the mission control room, wondering what on Earth I could do.

But that was the catch— there wasn't a single thing I could do to help.

I was forced to sit there and listen to their occasional chatter break through the uneasy silence. Agent Coulson and Agent Ross were trading heated comments in the corner. I took note of how Ross tried to conceal his facial expressions from me. I knew he'd never liked how James hadn't stood trial after the Sokovian Accords ordeal, but they'd never been able to build a solid enough case against him. How can you charge someone who is tortured by their own past?

As I stared blankly around the room, there was something at the back of my mind that kept bothering me, almost like it was constantly poking me and saying 'hey look at me!'

Why Chicago?

It didn't make any sense. He wasn't from Chicago, and as far as I could remember, he'd never been there. I half considered calling Steve to ask him his thoughts, but then I heard his voice come over the speaker.

"Alpha team arriving at coordinates."

I almost wished I hadn't heard him. I could tell he was in Captain America mode, but this time, it was colder than usual. Steve and I barely talked these days. The loss of James weighed heavily on both of us, and in the midst of our pain, a rift had formed. There were a few texts or passing conversations here and there, but nothing like how we used to be. Funny how things happen like that.

"Alright, skipper, let's get moving."

Tony's voice made me crack a smile. The joy in it was forced. He was trying his best to smooth over the anxiety— whether it be his or everyone else's.

"He's near the water," Bruce informed them. He looked down at the scan again, then frowned. "He— he's at the cloud gate." His tone made his confusion obvious.

"Cloud gate?" Steve questioned.

"It's the silver bean thingy," a young voice piped up, and I hid a grin. Peter must have skipped school again.

"Not much of a hiding place," Rhodes muttered.

There was a beat of silence before— "Eliza?"

I stepped up to the mic next to Bruce. "Yeah, Steve?" His voice was still cool. I couldn't tell if I was okay being on the receiving end of it or not.

"You have any idea why he'd come here?"

I shook my head. "Trust me, Steve, I'm racking my brain over here. I—" I paused to measure my words carefully. "I was kinda hoping you would know."

There was a sigh. "I wish I did," he replied softly, and for a moment, he was Steve again.

Swallowing, I scratched at my palms. The itchy sensation that had been slowly building in them over the past few hours was briefly deterred. The thought ran through my head again. Why Chicago? Why did it feel like I should know?

I went back over to my chair and shut my eyes. I called upon all the techniques I'd used with Wanda before— even some that Dr. Stephen Strange had mentioned— and cleared my mind of everything. I knew I could find it— every piece of knowledge put into the brain carves a neural pathway. It might be muddled by the commotion of the past several days, but surely I could dig up that information if I tried.

For the first time since James had left, I let myself wander through my memories of him. I recalled every gentle smile, every laugh, every kiss, every time his eyes seemed to shine in the sunlight. My heart ached, but I pushed forward. I could hear his voice, the sweet way he would say "I love you." The memory of our first fight came to mind, but I pushed it aside, even though part of me wanted to desperately cling to any memory I had of him, even the not so good ones.

But where was it? I took in a calming breath and searched deeper. Our daily schedule came to mind, how we would try to see who could wake up first to beat each other to a good morning kiss. When he'd check on me in my office. Our walks with Benjamin at lunch and dinner—

"…there's this bean thing that I saw online in Chicago, and I think that'd be neat…"

My eyes flew open. The trance broke.

And all around me was chaos.

"We can't contain him!"

"Nat, get civilians clear!"

"My wings are shot!"

"We have to get out of here-"

"No! We can't! We have to-"

 _"AH!"_

The line cut out.

A chill fell over the room, and I clamped a hand to my mouth. Tears were stinging at the corners of my eyes. Everyone turned to the agent at the comm control desk.

"Who's line was that?" Agent Coulson asked.

The agent stared at him with wide eyes. "Peter Parker, sir."

* * *

The longer I read the report, the more numb I felt. He'd be fine, of course— there was something about Peter's powers that made him practically indestructible. But it'd be at least a week before he could return to school, and during that time, he'd be stuck in intensive care under the careful watch of Bruce and the medical staff. Apparently broken backs are tough to handle, superhero or not.

I closed the file, sat back in my chair, and stared blankly at it. There were too many questions, too many answers floating just out of my reach.

After a few more moments of futile staring, I shut my eyes and took in a deep breath. Time to search again.

My mind immediately went to the memory I had recalled. It was fuzzy at best— but the scene came to me. Trees all around, the lighted pathway, the sun slowly slipping from the sky. His smile, his blue eyes. It was almost like I could see his lips forming the words, but his voice was muffled. Where else had he said he wanted to go?

"Nap time's over, Lizzie pop."

My eyes startled open to see Tony standing in my office. A quick glance at his posture told me I wasn't about to like what he was going to say.

I rubbed my palms— itchy, again— on my jeans and tried to look at natural as possible. "Test results come in?" I asked neutrally. I knew that wouldn't be why he was here. He was too pensive looking for that.

Tony's eyes flashed. "Lizzie, you know why I'm here."

"Actually, I don't—"

He cut to the chase. "How many more people are we gonna let get hurt before he give up?" he questioned.

"Don't include me in your tally," I warned cooly. "I'm not giving up any time soon, even if I'm next on the list."

"He was _crying_ , Eliza," he said through gritted teeth. "Crying like I've never seen before, and you want us to go back out there?"

"We knew there was risk involved—"

"And you know that we can't trade one life for another—"

"I didn't know that Peter was assigned to that mission—"

"That's not the point—"

"Alright then, how about you give me my lab results," I demanded.

Tony's jaw clenched. "They're not in yet."

I crossed my arms at him. "Tony, you run numbers faster than anyone I know— don't you _dare_ tell me they're not in yet."

It felt like my voice echoed in the silence. My palms grew itchy again, and my shoulders wilted in defeat. "My hands have been itching like crazy all day," I admitted softly. "So tell me what's wrong, Tony. It's starting to freak me out."

I looked up just in time to see him smile reassuringly. "It's just a side effect, sweetheart, I promise. It usually goes away within a few days," he soothed. "Trust me, you're dealing with a former weapons maker. I would know."

I let out a relieved sigh and wrapped my arms around myself. "Okay, that's good to know."

Suddenly, Tony sat down. He stared at me, then gestured to the chair next to him. Without hesitation, I came around from my desk and sat down, all the while noting how he was lost in thought looking down at the carpet.

He opened his mouth, but words wouldn't come out. "You—" he swallowed. "You know the place you and Peter have in my life…you do, don't you?"

His eyes finally met mine, and my heart broke when I saw unshed tears in them. All I could do was nod.

Tony shook his head quickly. "Good, good, I just— I wanted you to know," he said, his voice raw with emotion. "Look, if I— if something…happened…"

I held out a hand, and he gently clasped it with his own. For what felt like the first time, I noticed how old his hands seemed next to mine. Glancing up again, I saw the wrinkles and lines that I so often ignored. Especially now, Tony seemed to be more burdened than ever before.

He gave me a rueful smile. "You and Peter are as close as it gets to kids for me," he confessed with an awkward pat on my hand. "I…I can't lose you two. Not now, not ever."

I swallowed hard. "I know, Tony, I know…but I love him, and I can't lose him, either," I explained as gently as I could.

Tony sighed, but stared at me with shining eyes. "I knew I raised you well," he teased lightly.

I snorted and got up from the chair, tapping his shoulder as I did so. "Maybe a bit too well," I remarked. "I somehow inherited your recklessness."

Tony let out a laugh, and I started toward my desk. I heard him groan out of soreness as he got up from his chair, but I acted like I didn't. I sat back down at my desk, and Tony fixed me with a smile.

"I'll let you know when the lab results are in, okay, Lizzie?" he promised. "These things do take a while, especially while resources are split."

I smiled back. "I understand. Thanks, Tony."

With a short nod, he left. My eyes wandered to the calendar on my wall, and I frowned immediately. It'd been five days. Two days until I had promised to take matters into my own hands.

I glanced at the framed photo of James on my desk. Time to channel that recklessness.


	24. Congregation

**Congregation**

 **Author's Note: _Enkosi_ means "thank you" in Xhosa, which is the language they use in Wakanda. Also, I have a little mental playlist in my head for this chapter if you wanna listen along. The first section is "Time to Suit Up" from The Winter Soldier. The second section is "Making Amends" from Civil War.**

DarylDixon'sLover: Poor everyone, honestly. They've been through some rough times.

gaudalupe1992: You're welcome! I thought I had announced that I post on Saturdays before, but I might have forgotten. Make sure to keep up with the story for the next few weeks, because it's about to get intense!

Aurro sister of Morro: The funny thing is, I'm the writer, but I'm like "same, when is Bucky coming back geez."

Rohirrim Girl 2187: I think they all need a hug! But seriously, it makes me so happy that you pick up on those little details. Thank you!

* * *

 _"I'll let you know when the lab results are in, okay, Lizzie?" he promised. "These things do take a while, especially while resources are split."_

 _I smiled back. "I understand. Thanks, Tony."_

 _With a short nod, he left. My eyes wandered to the calendar on my wall, and I frowned immediately. It'd been five days. Two days until I had promised to take matters into my own hands._

 _I glanced at the framed photo of James on my desk. Time to channel that recklessness._

The last two days of my countdown passed painlessly and silently. Nothing happened. We got no sightings. The Vibranium tracker showed no trace of him. Apparently it needed time to recalibrate, not to mention it fried the generators it was running on. Peter stayed in the hospital wing. It was quiet.

So, I prepared.

I meditated futility for hours on end. I practiced in the gun range. I memorized routes. I found the location of things I would need. I avoided everyone as best as I could. I thought about James.

I thought about his scent, how soft his hair was, the way it felt when he would hold me, his shy smiles, the way he would kiss my neck when we got carried away, how he always left little trinkets and notes on my desk. I missed him so much it hurt. I wanted him back more than anything.

And when time had run out, I knew I had no choice. I had to get him back myself.

Memories of November were flashing in my mind. The bag I packed was practically the same— sweaters, jeans, boots, and a loaded gun on top. I gazed at it in a daze, wondering for the millionth time when history would stop repeating itself.

As I started to leave my room, I hesitated. I reached for the phone in my back pocket, and with a click, I turned it off. I set it on my dresser before I looked up at the ceiling.

"FRIDAY, mark me present in my room," I instructed.

"Where are you going, Miss Reynolds?" she inquired.

I forced a smile. "Just an errand, FRIDAY. I don't want anyone worrying if I'm gone too long."

"Yes, Miss Reynolds."

I left.

I wandered down the stairs, taking care to be quiet as I roamed the halls of the resident heroes. I found myself at James' door, and after a steadying breath, I walked in.

I flicked on the light switch and smiled when I saw Benjamin asleep on the bed. When I walked over, he raised his head drowsily.

"Hey, boy," I whispered. I leaned down and scratched his chin. Benjamin rubbed his nose into my hand affectionately.

Tears were stinging the corners of my eyes, and I gathered the sleepy german shepherd in my arms.

"Mama's gonna go get Daddy back," I murmured against his fur. "I promise."

Benjamin whimpered mournfully. I kissed the top of his head. I forced myself to leave him, to leave the cologne scented comforter, and to turn the lights out in the room that held a thousand memories.

And with that, I started toward the hangar.

I passed only a handful of agents on my way. It seemed I timed my midnight escape perfectly. The winding halls felt especially long for my weary feet— sleep hadn't come easy the past two days.

One more turn, and I had finally arrived in the hangar. The only light I had was the moon shining through the massive windows. I followed the path I'd memorized yesterday— back to the motorcycles in the left corner.

As quietly at I could, I made my way over to the lock box with the keys. I punched in my authorization code, and the box opened with a hiss. Before me laid the final path back to my James.

And then the lights turned on.

I spun around to see I had an audience. A rather large audience, actually.

"Running an errand, Lizzie? Come on, FRIDAY's smarter than that," Tony chided.

Sam crossed his arms, amused. "Not to mention, you're not exactly the stealthiest person alive, 'Liza."

I lifted my chin defensively. "Not all of us are trained to be."

Suddenly, Steve stepped out of the crowd. "Which is why we're coming with you," he stated firmly.

I felt hope fill my heart as I stared at the group in front of me. These were gods and heroes and doctors and assassins and sorcerers and aliens…and they all came to help.

I gave them the biggest smile I'd had in weeks. "Then let's get to it."

* * *

"If Bruce just got the hit, then why are you dragging me to your lab? Shouldn't we be going to his?"

"Tsk, tsk, Lizzie. Did you really think I would let you go with us without protection?"

I snickered. "I guess now is a bad time to make jokes about my dad warning me about protection around my boyfriend?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "I miss the days when you hated me, Lizzie," he drawled. We approached a sealed compartment in his lab, and he stopped to put an affectionate hand on my shoulder. He snapped his fingers, and the door on the compartment began to open.

When the door slid fully away, I gasped.

Before me stood what looked like a scaled down Ironman suit made out of a silken material. I could practically hear Tony's ego inflate the longer I gazed at it, but I couldn't help it.

"Is this…did you…?"

"What, you think I didn't have your measurements from the moment you walked onto this base?" Tony gloated. "I managed to get the Wakandans to give me some Vibranium— it'll be cloaked the second it touches your skin."

I walked forward in a daze. My fingers drifted over the material, and just like he said, it turned invisible. My face split into a grin, and I turned back to look at Tony. "Guess it's time to suit up, then."

* * *

"-and here, this bead will allow you to communicate with us if you are in any trouble," King T'Challa explained patiently.

I nodded, then tested out the bead. "Hello?" I spoke, and the king nodded. I gave him a smile. "Thank you, T'Challa. _Enkosi_."

The king returned the thank you, then made his way back to his chair in the quinjet. Still toying with the kimoye bead bracelet on my wrist, I wandered aimlessly back to where I'd sat before. Once I was in my chair, I took a moment to stare at the interior of the jet.

It felt so surreal. Here I was, outfitted in a green dress and yellow and purple plastic beads draped around my neck. And under all of it laid an invisible suit that could withstand up to a thousand bullets at once. Or at least, that's what Tony said.

I closed my eyes and listened to the memory that Wanda had reawakened an hour ago.

 _"I've always wanted to see New Orleans— I think one of my cousins used to talk about it."_

My eyes opened and looked toward the window. So here we were. New Orleans on Mardi Gras. And just five days before his March 10th birthday.

I glanced over at Steve. He was leaning against one of the walls, seemingly checking on his helmet clasps, but I knew better. He had that distanced look in his eyes. The kind that I knew I couldn't let continue.

Slowly, I stood up and made my way over. I awkwardly scratched at my palms as I waited for him to notice me. When he hadn't after a few moments, I cleared my throat.

"How's it going?" I asked.

Steve looked startled, but he managed to say, "Fine. You?"

I gave him an ironic smile. "Fine." The sarcasm in my voice made his face go grim.

Our eyes cast down at the ground. The air between us was heavy, and I had no idea what to say.

"He was jealous of you, you know," I blurted.

Steve gave me an amused look. "I know."

I raised a surprised eyebrow.

He grinned. "Come on, give me some credit, Eliza," he chuckled. "I figured it out pretty quickly."

I blushed and looked away.

There was a light sigh as Steve turned to pick up his shield. "And to think that all this time, I was the one who was jealous of you two," he hummed.

My head snapped up just in time for Steve to put a warm hand on my shoulder. "We're gonna find him, Eliza," he promised. "Whatever it takes."


	25. Mission

**Mission**

DarylDixon'sLover: Thanks! We're getting into the nitty gritty now, and these are some of my favorite chapters I wrote.

Rohirrim Girl 2187: I really love your theory about the scratching being psychological, but I shall neither confirm nor deny it!

gaudalupe 1992: Thank you!

* * *

 _My head snapped up just in time for Steve to put a warm hand on my shoulder. "We're gonna find him, Eliza," he promised. "Whatever it takes."_

I could hear cheers and fireworks echoing in the distance, and for a moment, I let my mind wander to a daydream where I was here with James on vacation. But then I heard the click of a cartridge being snapped into a machine gun, and that fairy tale bubble burst.

"Delta team in position," Rocket was reciting lackadaisically into the kimoye beads on his wrist. I noted that he had the bracelet wrapped twice around his little arm.

"I am Groot," the mammoth tree beside him said.

Rocket rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, we'll see the fireworks another time, okay?"

I managed a small smile. For James' memory's sake, I had hoped that I would be paired up with Steve for this mission. But before I'd realized what was happening, Steve had gone into Captain mode and assigned me to Rocket and Groot instead.

Not that I minded in the slightest— Rocket had a strange way of making the atmosphere not feel as heavy as it should. Whether it was his sarcasm or the entertaining one-sided conversations with Groot, he managed to be serious and lighthearted at the same time.

After another moment of checking over his weapon, the raccoon's big brown eyes wandered over to where I was sat on the steps of a stage. "How you holdin' up, kid?"

I snorted. "Rocket, I'm older than you," I reminded him.

He shrugged. "Ain't that hard to achieve— you wanna medal or somethin'?"

An amused smile broke out on my face. "I'm fine, thank you. And I am okay— just a little cold."

At that moment, a breeze came through, and I watched as Rocket gave an annoyed look when his fur was ruffled. "Check your suit," he inclined his head. "You know Stark put everything he got in that thing."

I waved a dismissive hand. Now didn't seem to be the time to become distracted by new tech, as tempting as it was to get my mind off the situation at hand.

My eyes began to trail slowly around where we were. The cold stone walls of an abandoned church stared back at me, and I couldn't help but think of the irony. I hadn't been in a church in far too long, but even so, I had always imagined the next time I would be here would be with the man I loved.

The fireworks lit up the stained glass windows, and for a moment, I could almost see it. The flowers, the people, the pastor standing at the end of the aisle…and then James, smiling brightly as I walked toward him. I glance down, and my dress has changed from green to white. There's no invisible suit of protection, because why would I need one? Everything is calm and peaceful and happy. There's no threats, no worries— just me and him.

My heart ached, and part of me wanted to cling onto the vision, but then another cold breeze whipped by. I gasped at the pain that burst forth when it hit my hands. Both Rocket and Groot turned to look at me with concerned eyes, but I shook my head and and mouthed "I'm fine."

Once they'd turned around, I unclasped my hands from my lap and took in their state. There was a bright red trail where I had come in direct contact with the uranium, and it had only gotten worse with time. The skin was stinging and chapped, pulsing with pain in the exposure to the cold weather.

I curled my hands up— gritting my teeth against the pain as I did so— and set them back in my lap. I should've shown them to Tony before we left, asked if all these side effects were still normal. But there hadn't been any time, and honestly, I could deal with the hurt if it meant I got James back tonight.

James…his smile popped into my head, and my heart twisted.

"Delta team, what's your status?"

All of our heads raised at Steve's voice coming over the coms.

Groot shrugged. "I am Groot." Rocket rolled his eyes, then looked at me. I gave him a firm nod, and he gave one back.

"Yeah, we're all fine here," Rocket informed.

"Good, be prepared," Steve said. "We're picking up uranium signatures all over the city. Looks like we'll have company."

My heart skipped a beat, and I stood up.

"What kind of company?" Rocket asked.

I could imagine the grim look on Steve's face as he replied, "Not the friendly kind."

The com cut off, and Rocket hefted his gun to sit up on his shoulder. "Aw crap, this isn't gonna be good," he grumbled.

"No kidding," I sighed. The next second, a message from Tony came up on my interface, and I fought back a grimace when I read it. Apparently he hadn't equipped my suit with any weaponry. Just perfect.

It seemed that Tony sent the message to Rocket, too, because he was reading over a holographic that appeared over his bracelet before he shook his head.

"You really are in a pickle, crazy girl," he sniffed.

I just crossed my arms and stared up at the ceiling. "Yup."

"I am Groot?"

"Hey, none of that sass right now, we're doing a good thing."

"I am Groot."

"What do you mean you didn't sign up for this? We all did!"

"I am Groot!"

"Buddy, if you say one more word, I'm gonna—"

I sat back down and blocked out the conversation as much as I could. This whole situation just went from bad to worse, and now was not the time for me to try to figure out what the massive tree was saying.

I shut my eyes and set my mind into a mode of meditation. Dr. Strange had advised me to use it to locate James. Apparently he could sense an energy between us, and thus thought that I would be able to find him through this connection. Try as I might, it felt fuzzy, almost like he was all around me in every which direction. I could sense him, feel his presence, but then it would vanish.

Then suddenly, I felt eyes on the back of my neck.

I jumped up and turned around. The energy faded as soon as it'd come.

"-be okay?"

I forced my eyes to go to Rocket. "What?"

He gave me a stern look. "Didn't you hear the noise outside?"

"No," I shook my head.

Rocket rolled his eyes. "Well, me and Groot are gonna check it out. Radar says uranium signatures are swarming all around the city, and we've got a few targets around the block. Stay here, okay? And com me if _anything_ goes wrong."

It should have struck me as odd that I was taking orders from a talking raccoon, but I nodded compliantly. He gave a grunt, then tilted his head at Groot to indicate which direction to head in. The two split up as they exited the church, and soon, it was just me and the wind.

My eyes flickered around at the shadows in the eerily quiet building, and I swallowed nervously. Part of me mentally berated myself— I was a grown woman; I shouldn't be scared like this. But then the other part of me fought back, because deep down, I knew I had every single reason to be scared.

A gunshot in the distance made me whip around. I let out a shaky breath.

'It'll all be okay, it'll all be okay, it'll all be okay, it'll all be okay,' I repeated on a loop in my head.

A firework boomed above me, and a whimper escaped my throat.

"FRIDAY, activate advanced shielding," I commanded softly. There was a beep, then a shimmer ran over my skin. I steadied my breathing and took to pacing up and down the center aisle, all the while playing anxiously with the colorful plastic beads around my neck. This continued for a few minutes, until finally, I lifted my eyes to the cross high upon the wall behind the stage.

That's when I heard the click.

My body went numb, but I managed to turn around…only to be eye to eye with the barrel of a pistol.


	26. Tension

**Tension**

Daryl Dixon's Lover: All in due time, my friend.

guadalupe1992: I know, I promise only one more suspenseful ending, and then it'll get better!

Aurro sister of Morro: Cliffies are my favorite!

kuppcake: I know, and I do apologize...somewhat.

Nightwish373: Lucky you- you get the cliffhanger resolved immediately!

* * *

 _"FRIDAY, activate advanced shielding," I commanded softly. There was a beep, then a shimmer ran over my skin. I steadied my breathing and took to pacing up and down the hall, all the while playing anxiously with the colorful beads around my neck. This continued for a few minutes, until finally, I lifted my eyes to the cross high upon the wall behind the stage._

 _That's when I heard the click._

 _My body went numb, but I managed to turn around…only to be eye to eye with the barrel of a pistol._

I don't even remember putting my hands up. I just remember the cold grey eyes that were burning relentlessly into mine.

"Where is he?" the stranger demanded. A quick glance over his outfit gave it away— he was part of Matthew's unit.

I swallowed. "I-I don't know who—"

The barrel was against my temple now. "I'm not going to ask again. Where is he?"

Logically, I knew I had nothing to fear. I knew my suit would protect me. I knew that if this man dared to fire at me, it would only ricochet back at him. But there was something in his voice that instilled a numb sort of fear that my body couldn't help but tremble at.

Suddenly, I heard Tony's words from Matthew's interrogation echo in my head— _"I hate it when someone else holds all the cards."_

And here I was with a royal flush.

Confidence filled my heart, even as the man pressed the barrel harder into my skin. I feigned a whimper, and he grinned. Bingo.

"H-He's at our base," I stuttered. "We have him in a holding cell— I…I'm sure we could make an agreement for his release."

"You think I'm talking about Matthews?" he scoffed. "That idiot knew it was a suicide mission. We want the Winter Soldier now."

A cold wind blew through the building, and this time, I didn't have to fake a whine. A sharp sting ran from my wrists to the very tips of my fingers. My hands recoiled of their own accord, and the man's eyes flickered to them.

He smirked. "I see you came in contact with our plans."

While his eyes trained on the red patches of skin, mine went to my kimoye beads. I knew there was no way I could contact anyone on the team— one move, and he'd shoot. And I really didn't want to see what that would look like. Bad guy or not, I wanted to avoid all possible casualties.

Looks like it's up to me.

The grey eyes were back on me, and there was an ironic amount of confidence in them. "Tell us where he is, and maybe I'll let you get back to your little party, okay?" he bargained with false innocence.

"I don't know where he is," I admitted. "Honestly. I wandered away from the group—"

He thrust the barrel of the gun forward into my head, so much that the force of it sent me sprawling on the floor. My hands scraped the rugged stone, and I yelped in pain.

"Where is he?!" the man shouted.

A true sob bubbled up in my throat. "I don't know!" I cried. "I don't know, I swear!"

The man shook his head. "Your mistake," he sneered. He placed the barrel right in front of my eyes. "Maybe you'll see your boyfriend on the other side."

I shut my eyes and prepared for him to seal his own fate.

A shot rung out. But it hadn't come from him.

The man in front of me screamed, and when I opened my eyes, I saw that he, too, was on the ground. He clutched his shoulder, blood seeping through his fingers. The sound of another bullet clicking into place echoed— a warning. The man scrambled off the floor and ran.

I collapsed back against my elbows and let out a sigh. My hands were still stinging, and I was pretty sure I'd have some bruises from the fall tomorrow, but at least it hadn't been worse. I took a moment to let out a sigh, then turned my head with my mouth open to thank Rocket—

And I froze.

He looked just how he had a week ago…only his eyes were cold and his body was stiff. When his eyes gazed at me, it felt like they passed right through me. Like I was barely even there.

In a daze, I managed to push myself up from the ground. His gun was trained on me in a heartbeat, but I hardly cared. That wasn't James doing that. It was the Winter Soldier. And by the look in his eyes, I could tell that he was scared.

My mouth opened to speak, but it went dry. What could I say? I had to tread carefully— one shot, and he'd meet the same fate the last guy nearly had.

Then it hit me— the words! They had been so close to working last time, and now, we were completely alone. No one to interfere, no one to shout— just me and him and the quiet.

My hands wrung together anxiously as my eyes flickered to the floor. "I, uh—," I swallowed. I had to get the pronunciation perfectly.

I peered up at him. _"Te iubesc."_

Something flashed in his eyes. _"Stat numele și identificarea dumneavoastră."_

My brain felt like it short circuited. _That_ hadn't been the reaction I was expecting. "S-Sorry, I can't actually—" I stammered. "I don't speak—"

"Then why did you speak in Romanian?" he questioned.

My heart warmed at hearing his voice after so long, but somehow, it wasn't his. It was cold, foreign, totally unknown to me. "I-I have a friend— a friend from Romania, and they taught me just a few phrases, and y-you look like you were from around there, so I thought I should try, a-and also to say thank you for saving me—"

"You're lying. I can see it." His voice was low and accusing.

It was in that moment that I knew it couldn't work. He was too far into his programming— who knew the last time he had been in this mode for this long. No, I'd have to take a different approach. He wouldn't attack a civilian unless he felt trapped or provoked, I knew that much. So I'd have to get him to see me as just that— a harmless civilian.

I let out an awkward laugh. "Fine, he was more than just a friend." He tilted his head, and I knew that wasn't the answer he'd been looking for. "I was in love with him…still am, actually."

His eyes seemed to accept this statement as truth. If only he knew I was talking about him. "Why are you here?"

"I got separated from my family—"

"You're lying, again," he cut me off.

I paused, then suddenly snorted. "Nah, they're my family. We might not be related by blood, sure, but sometimes friends can become your family."

His grip on his pistol tightened, but his eyes showed confusion. "You're pretty calm for someone staring down a gun," he noted.

"And you're pretty nice for someone who's aiming a gun at my head," I replied with a quirked eyebrow.

He swallowed tightly, and for just a moment, I saw a flash of hesitation. Slowly but surely, the pistol lowered. I let out an exaggerated sigh of relief and gave him a little smile.

He blinked. "Who are you?" He sounded curious, like a child staring down a puzzle without a clue as to where to start.

"Just a tourist who apparently can't follow directions," I laughed shyly. That would be a good enough cover— I _had_ always had a knack for getting lost around base. "My name's Eliza."

He tilted his head. "Hello, Eliza."

Hearing him say my name for the first time in what felt like ages nearly brought me to my knees. "H-Hi," I stammered. "And, um, you are?"

His eyes suddenly took on a hollow look. "That doesn't matter." Even in this almost mechanical state, I could hear the bitterness in his tone.

Without thinking, I stepped forward. "Do you need help? Maybe I could—"

He drew the gun again, and I froze. His finger was on the trigger, but his eyes were almost begging me not to make him pull it. Slowly, I put my hands up and began to walk back to where I stood before. The gun lowered again, and he stared at me all the while, eyes broken.

I opened my mouth to apologize, but the same cold wind that had haunted me all night came through the building. I bit down on my lip as I tried to hold in the pain, but eventually, a stifled cry broke through. I vaguely noticed how he watched me blankly as I clasped my hands protectively to my chest.

"Are you…" his voice trailed off. I looked up and could see a war waging in his entire body. One hand was outstretched, but the other was firmly held back. His eyes were guarded, but held a tinge of concern. His mouth was set in a steady frown, but his brow was creased.

"Are you hurt?" he managed to get out.

I offered a weak smile. "It's nothing— it's just—" my mind scrambled to find something that wasn't a lie, "—the guy, when he knocked me over, I-I think I caught myself on my hands."

He began to walk forward, but he froze. The war in his mind had resumed.

"I don't know what you should do for them to be okay," he stated bluntly.

I felt a few tears gather in the corners of my eyes, and I let out a little laugh. "I'll figure out something. It'll all be okay."


	27. Vision

**Vision**

DarylDixon'sLover: Your wish is my command! Let happiness abound!

Cadarella: Please don't let your heart break too much, we still have a few more chapters to go!

kuppcake: Thank you! I put a lot of thought into the chapter titles.

SummerMistedDragon: "Eeeeeep!" is the exact emotion I wished to evoke!

guadalupe1992: You know how I love my cliffhangers and twists!

CalistaLegaci: I've definitely considered going beyond fanfiction, and I do have some ideas hanging around in my head at the moment!

NightWish373: Just as Eliza said, it'll all be okay.

Rohirrim Girl 2187: Do not give up hope on your theory! I'm just one step ahead of you- you'll catch on soon enough!

Aurro sister of Morro: Don't lose hope! Also, I notice that you sometimes leave reviews the day before I upload, so know that I upload every Saturday so you don't miss out!

* * *

 _"Are you hurt?" he managed to get out._

 _I offered a weak smile. "It's nothing— it's just—" my mind scrambled to find something that wasn't a lie, "—the guy, when he knocked me over, I-I think I caught myself on my hands."_

 _He began to walk forward, but he froze. The war in his mind had resumed._

 _"I don't know what you should do for them to be okay," he stated bluntly._

 _I felt a few tears gather in the corners of my eyes, and I let out a little laugh. "I'll figure out something. It'll all be okay."_

The current situation was…interesting to say the least.

I was sitting on the stairs to the stage checking over my hands, and the Winter Soldier was looming awkwardly over my shoulder. His gun had been holstered long ago, and now his hands were fidgety. He paced restlessly, occasionally stopping to stare at my hands, ask how they were, then nod stiffly and return to his pacing.

A part of me had to admit that I found this entirely endearing. It seemed that when the Winter Soldier wasn't under someone's control or feeling trapped, he was simply…lost. Unsure. Wandering.

I wondered if it was James inside there making the Winter Soldier act like this. It had to be— I could see the way he was fighting against himself. Every time he looked at me, his brow furrowed, and his eyes practically shouted their confusion.

I was awakened from my musings by his blue eyes suddenly meeting mine for the fifth time.

"How are your hands?" he asked routinely.

I smiled softly. "They're starting to feel a little better."

He gave his usual nod, and the second he turned his back, I pressed the kimoye bead T'Challa had referred to earlier in the night. It flashed twice, then died down. The distress signal had been sent.

The Winter Soldier was now pacing in front of me again, and by the look on his face, he hadn't noticed my actions. In a way, I hated calling for help. Right now he was mostly calm, and I knew the second the Avengers showed up, that would change.

So, he needed to be distracted.

I took in a deep breath to catch his attention, and then gave him a shy smile. "I never did get your name," I commented. "And you _did_ save me from that guy."

His eyes— which had been steadily staring into mine— went to the ground. "That's not important," he answered evasively. Looks like he still didn't want to face the name question.

I tilted my head. "You didn't have to…why?"

"I don't know." His voice was stubborn. Was he trying to convince me, himself, or both?

My ears picked up the sound of a quinjet nearby, but then it was covered up by a firework exploding in the sky above us. The Winter Soldier looked up at the crumbling stone ceiling blankly. The sparkling colors reflected against the cool silver of his Vibranium arm. His lips pulled deeper into a frown, and I fought the urge to step forward to comfort him. This wasn't my James, I reminded myself. If I wanted my James back, then I had to tread carefully.

I stood up from the ground with a grunt. "Are you…are you okay?" I asked softly.

His eyes fell to me, and his mouth was open to speak, but then his gaze snapped to something behind me, and I knew it was too late.

Without a moment of hesitation, he grabbed my arm and pulled me to stand behind him. He whipped the gun out of his holster and held it steady. I couldn't see who it was pointed at, but my stomach was dropping lower by the second, and I knew I had to do something.

Was there risk involved? Yes. Was there any other choice? No.

I placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. He froze under my touch. "James, put the gun down," I pleaded. "You don't want to hurt anyone."

His panicked eyes flickered to me. "T-That's not my name—"

"James, listen to me," I soothed. "I know you're scared. But please, just—"

A familiar voice piped up, "Lizzie, step away from him."

I sent a scathing glare in the voice's direction, but Tony just held up his hand, arc reactor glowing dangerously. To his right, Steve was giving me a look— one that said they had a plan. I gave him the smallest of nods I could, then trailed my hand to rest on the Winter Soldier's arm.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

Confused blue eyes met mine, and that was my chance. I darted away as fast as I could.

"Wanda— go!" Steve shouted.

In the blink of an eye, Wanda had the Winter Soldier pinned down in a flurry of red energy. He screamed in agony, but she kept her hold. When he began to fight back, Vision flew to her side and placed his hand on her shoulder. Excess energy from the Mind Stone in his head flowed to her, and she used the boost to keep the Winter Soldier down.

"Mantis! About now would be good!" Quill called.

The alien ran out from behind a stone wall and placed her hands on his head. Immediately, her antennas lit up, and her eyes filled with tears.

"He's hurting!" she cried. "He—" her eyes went to me, "—he needs her!"

I rushed forward, ignoring Tony's shouts to stop, and kneeled down to cup his face with my hands. "James, it's me, Eliza," I spoke frantically. His pained eyes reached mine, and I choked out a sob. "Please come back to me, honey, I need you, please," I begged. " _Te iubesc_."

He blinked, and suddenly, I could see James. "E-Eliza?"

I gave a watery laugh. "Yes, hi, it's me, James."

"He must let me put him to sleep!" Mantis directed.

I nodded, then smoothed my thumb over his cheek. "Honey, you have to close your eyes. We don't have long— you _have_ to let her take control."

Tears were welling up in his eyes, and he was shaking his head. "I-I'm so sorry, Eliza, I h-hurt you, I didn't mean to—"

I cut him off by pressing my lips against his. All the tension left his body as he melted into me, and with one final push of power from Mantis, he fell asleep. He slumped against me, and I wrapped my arms around him as tightly as I could, tears of relief falling from my eyes onto his shoulder. It was finally over.

* * *

"Eliza, it's been five hours— you need to go take care of yourself."

"I'm fine," I replied stubbornly.

Steve sighed as he sat down in the chair opposite of me. We were in a secure room in the hospital wing. James was laid out on the bed in front of us, hooked up to more IV's than I wished to count. The walls and floors were an annoyingly bright shade of white, and I felt them draining my energy the longer I sat here.

But I had to. We didn't know when he'd wake up, and if his heartbroken apology was anything to go by, I knew he'd need me.

Steve's stern gaze was wearing me down, though— not to mention the fact that I probably looked ridiculous in my little Mardi Gras outfit. Finally, I gave in and stood up from my chair.

"Fine, but I'll be back within an hour," I decided. If Steve wanted to protest, he didn't show it.

I made toward the door, but the sound of Steve clearing his throat stopped me.

"I, uh…" he swallowed awkwardly. "I wanted to apologize. I know I spoke to you, well…not as a friend. And for that, I'm sorry."

I gave him a weary smile. "Forget about it, Steve. We've all been under a lot of pressure lately. I know I wasn't the best friend to you, either."

His eyes wandered over to James' comatose form. "Guess he's the glue that keeps us together," Steve mumbled.

"Kinda," I agreed. We shared one final look, then I headed down the hall.

A sense of anxiety swept over me because of the loss of James' presence, but I beat it down. He'd want me to take care of myself, so I would do this just for him.

The trip to my room was quick, as was the shower and changing of clothes. I hung the protective suit up on a hangar in my closet, making a mental note to return it to Tony's lab at some point. As if on cue, my fingers jolted with a light sting, and I sighed tiredly. Though it wasn't as bad as it had been out in the cold, the pain hadn't improved much.

One glance told me that my hands didn't look any better, either. They were still red and blotchy, almost like a chemical burn or an allergic reaction. But was uranium allergy even a thing that existed? Who knows— maybe the test results would show. Chemical burn was more likely, but who knew how long that would take to heal.

I was about to head toward the kitchen when my phone dinged.

 _"He's awake and asking for you."_


	28. Reconciliation

**Reconciliation**

Daryl Dixon's Lover: See? I told you everything would work out fine!

Guest: Yes! I typically leave things on a cliffhanger, but I'll give you guys a rest this chapter.

CalistaLegaci: I've looked into Wattpad before, but I just love it here on Fanfic.

guadalupe1992: Thanks! It's weird to think that within a few weeks, this fic will be over!

NightWish373: It's great to see how happy people are to see James back, because I really wanted you guys to miss him.

A**b****67: I think Quill learned his lesson, seeing as how this is set after Infinity Wars. Great joke, though!

Aurro sister of Morro: Yes, he's back, indeed!

SummerMistedDragon: There was something about your one-worded review that made me crack up, so thank you.

* * *

 _I was about to head toward the kitchen when my phone dinged._

 ** _"He's awake and asking for you."_**

When I entered the hospital wing running, it seemed that everyone had simultaneously decided that no one was allowed in. Thankfully, Steve was at the entrance waiting for me. As soon as he saw me, he shielded me with one arm and used the other to toss aside anyone who stood in our way.

Once we reached the door, he ran ahead of me and practically threw it off its hinge. He rushed inside, but I found that I couldn't move. I was frozen, scared to cross the threshold. What happened now? What if he wasn't okay? What if—

I shook my head and walked in the room.

Steve and James were talking in hushed tones, but the minute my shoes hit the tiled floors, they both turned. The first thing I noticed were James' eyes— they were glassy. His lips were parted, completely still and hesitant. But one of his hands was reaching out to me.

I accepted the invitation without question.

My feet were moving, and before I knew it, I was throwing my arms around his neck and embracing his warmth. He held me tight and nuzzled his nose into my neck. His breath was hot on my skin, and it took me a few moments to realize that he was murmuring apologies. I just squeezed him more and kissed his hair.

I heard Steve whisper, "Thank you, God."

* * *

It was hours later. He had finally been released, and now I was resting on his bed waiting for him to get out of the shower. I felt exhausted, but somehow my body was buzzing with energy. For the first time in the past month, I felt at peace. Like everything was okay. There was no anxiety or worry— there was just me, lying there, taking in the scent of his cologne on the comforter.

I heard the water turn off, and I got up from the bed. A few steps, then I raised my hand to knock.

"Let me know when you need help," I called through the door.

"Gimme a minute," was the reply.

I stood patiently with my hands clasped. I heard the rustling of fabric, and I smiled. He really was the forties gentleman— sacrificing ease of mobility for decency. The door opened a moment later, and he was in front of me wearing joggers and a strained smile.

"Sorry, I had to—"

I shook my head. "It's okay, I know." I came forward and began the process of taking the plastic cast off his arm. He stood there silently. I hummed a random tune to fill the silence. Soon, the pieces were piled up in their basket, and the Vibranium arm was exposed again.

His eyes were on the ground. I knew he was about to say something— after all, he'd hardly said a word since he woke up. So I just waited. After a few moments, he opened his mouth, but then paused. I reached to hold his hands, hoping it would give him some courage, but he flinched back like it would burn.

"I-I…" he shuddered. "I-I can't— you…I hurt you," he choked out. "I know I did, Eliza, I remember it. A-And I don't— I don't want to…"

I took his non-Vibranium hand and pulled him over to his bed. "Sit down, James," I instructed gently. "Let's talk about it."

The sound of his name seemed to break the spell of fear that had been cast in his eyes, and he nodded. He sat down on the bed slowly, letting his legs hang down off the side and clasping his hands tightly in his lap. I sat down next to him and criss-crossed my legs.

"So," I sighed. "You wanna speak first?"

James nodded immediately, but his face showed hesitation. I reached out my hand, and slowly but surely, he curled his metal fingers around mine. I smoothed my thumb over the familiar seams, and he let out a deep breath.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "There's not much else to say. I…I always feared that this would happen, and it did. And I don't know where to go from here. I love you, Eliza, but…" he forced his eyes to meet mine briefly, "…I don't want to hurt you again, so…I understand if you want to leave me."

I processed all of this for a few seconds, then turned to face him better. "James, leaving you didn't cross my mind for a minute," I reassured him. His eyes flickered to the floor with shame, and I reached my unoccupied hand forward to lift his chin. "Honey, listen to me," I pleaded.

And for the first time since we'd reunited, his eyes met mine fully. Just looking at them made my frown melt into a little smile.

"I know what happened," I continued gently. "I know it wasn't you, and I know that I should have stopped the experiment before it was too late. I got so caught up in it all, and I thought I could help, but—" my voice cracked. "I guess I forgot that I love you with or without those words in your head."

A pained look entered his eyes. "You can't blame yourself, Eliza—"

"—then you can't blame yourself, either," I cut him off. I reached up and cupped his face with my hands. "I know what you do to yourself. Please don't torture yourself over this, James, please," I whispered, tears stinging the corners of my eyes. "I love you too much to let you do that."

He closed his eyes and leaned forward, touching our foreheads together. "I'm still sorry," he murmured.

I gave a watery laugh. "I know."

Silence held us captive for a moment, but then, he tentatively pressed his lips against mine. I hummed contentedly, angling my head to deepen the kiss. It was slow and sweet— almost like a wordless apology.

After a moment, his arms wrapped around me, and I made a point of stroking a hand down his metal arm. His breathing hitched. I brought my hand back up to run through his hair. His tense shoulders finally dropped.

A minute later, I broke the kiss and stared at him sternly. "I love you, James."

He managed a small laugh. "I love you too, Eliza."

We shared a grin, and I placed my lips back on his. His hands fell down to my hips, and I let out a soft moan. I forgot how much I loved his touch. I felt myself being gently lifted up, and when I was back down again, I was in his lap. I reached to tighten my hold on him, and at that moment, my palms gave a sharp sting. I ignored it, the joy of being with him overriding any pain that my hands could incur.

I pressed harder into his lips, and he responded with fervor. Desperation was taking over now, the feeling of having not been together for too long driving us as close as possible. James began to lower me down, and I sighed into his lips when my back hit the comforter. The motion left my shirt hanging off my shoulder, the opportunity that he had been waiting for.

When his lips left mine, I had only seconds to let out a disappointed sound before I gasped. James had turned his attention to my neck, leaving a tantalizing trail of kisses down to my collarbone and back up again. He bit down gently below my ear, and I tightened my grip on his hair. He kissed the spot, then bit again. I attempted to muffle a groan, but it seemed that I ultimately failed if his amused chuckle was anything to go by.

"I forgot how crazy you make me," he breathed, nuzzling my neck.

I swallowed and nodded, even though I knew he couldn't quite see it. James lifted his head and leaned up to kiss my temple.

"I missed you," he sighed. "Even when I was him, I still knew you weren't there. It was like an entire piece of me was missing— I had no idea what to do without you."

My heart warmed, and I gave him a bittersweet smile. "I know the feeling."

A frown appeared on James' face. I took it into my hands and guided his lips down to mine. Our lips were still, simply taking in the sensation of being together again.

"I love you," I reminded him when we parted. "And I accept you no matter what."

James nodded silently, and by the glassy look of his eyes, I knew that if he'd tried to speak, his voice wouldn't have worked. I pulled him into an embrace, and he rolled us onto our sides.

There it was again— that feeling of peace. The sunlight struck his eyes. They sparkled beautifully, and a contented smile came onto my face. We were home.


	29. Absolution

**Absolution**

Hello everyone! Sorry for the slightly late upload- I just got back from an international flight! Enjoy!

DarylDixon'sLover: Thanks! I had to make up for all the time lost between them!

A**b****67: Haha yeah, I like to keep it clean here. And yes, Steve is all of us!

BabyiG: Aww, hope they were happy tears!

chimpnsocks: Yes, I hope the cuteness overload made up for them being apart!

guadalupe1992: Indeed it was a long chapter! I realized recently that you guys will actually get a bonus chapter in this story- I usually write 30 chapters, but I accidentally wrote 31!

NightWish373: Me too! Just wanted you guys to sweat out the wait a bit lol.

Aurro sister of Morro: Awww is the right answer!

Rohirrim Girl 2187: You shall receive answers soon, I promise.

MissAmieB: Welcome aboard! We're near the end of our journey, but I'm glad you've enjoyed it! PM me when you start writing your own Bucky/OC- I'd like to read a story where I don't know how it ends.

* * *

 _"I love you," I reminded him when we parted. "And I accept you no matter what."_

 _James nodded silently, and by the glassy look of his eyes, I knew that if he'd tried to speak, his voice wouldn't have worked. I pulled him into an embrace, and he rolled us onto our sides._

 _There it was again— that feeling of peace. The sunlight struck his eyes. They sparkled beautifully, and a contented smile came onto my face. We were home._

"I can do it."

My wide eyes stared at the people in front of me. "Are you sure?"

Wanda and Vision shared a look. He nodded. " _We_ can handle it," he amended. "During our rescue of Sargent Barnes, my assisting Wanda seemed to…unlock something. As you know, her powers are influenced heavily by her emotions, thus if she is overwhelmed, they are less controlled. When we combined our strengths, however, my lack of emotion seemed to give her a greater ability to focus."

"Don't say it like that, you have emotions," Wanda chided softly.

Vision cast her a knowing look. "Yes, but it it easiest to explain it as such. We cannot deny the effect that experience caused."

I cleared my throat to bring the couple's little disagreement to an end. "Have you been able to reproduce such effects?"

Wanda nodded quickly. "We've been working with it ever since we got back," she said. "We didn't want to rush into it, and I didn't want to give you false hope, so we kept it from you."

"Mr. Stark was aware of our experiments," Vision continued. "In order to fully test our theory, he briefly reanimated an old clone of Ultron. We were able to rewrite its program entirely."

My heart skipped a beat. "And this was—"

"Yesterday," they responded in sync.

I took a moment to sink back into my chair. What they were offering was obvious— a final solution to get the words out of James' head.

It seemed so simple, so easy, like I could almost see it in front of me…but I felt fear come over me. I didn't want to risk it all again. I couldn't bear seeing him in pain again. We'd been back for less than a week, and every day, he still apologized multiple times.

…but what if it worked this time? What if he could finally be free? Wasn't that worth the risk?

Whether she saw the conflict on my face or heard it in my mind, Wanda reached out a hand. "Elizabeth, do not think that I have forgotten what you did for me," she said. "You brought Pietro back to me. Not in a physical sense, but because of your help, I was able to have the memory of him again, without pain. Let me help you, now."

I looked up and saw their faces. They were solemn, sincere. They truly believed this had a chance of working.

Slowly, I nodded. "Let me…I'll talk with James about it."

Vision's eyes filled with understanding. "Take all the time you need, Miss Elizabeth."

I managed a small smile.

* * *

"If you would, Sargent Barnes, we need you to clear your mind."

"I'm trying, but it's a bit difficult with a beautiful woman in front of me."

I shook my head adoringly at his comment, especially when he winked at me.

"Focus, James," I chided with a laugh.

He sighed dramatically and rolled his eyes. "Yes, ma'am."

We were sat across from each other, our hands intertwined on the table between us. Wanda and Vision stood behind James, and Bruce watched from the corner of the operation room. It had been difficult to get permission to do this— practically everyone had been against it. But after a few votes from the senior members of the Avengers (namely, Tony and Steve), the date was set.

"He needs to slow down his mind," Wanda instructed, her eyes closed, but her hands glowing. "It's going so fast I can't see anything."

"You also need to temporarily activate the neural pathway," Vision added on.

James' eyes filled with worry, and I smoothed a thumb over his hand. "It's going to be okay," I reassured him. "So, what were you looking at earlier this morning, honey?"

Suddenly, his face flushed. "Oh, nothing."

"Mmhm," I hummed innocently. "Because if my memory serves me right, I saw you searching properties nearby."

A mischievous grin appeared on his lips, and he shrugged. "And what if I was, dear?" I knew by his expression that he'd figured out the game I was playing, and that would keep him distracted enough.

I tsked, "All I wanna know is how big the lots are. I did want at least five acres, remember?"

"Oh did you?" he teased.

I nodded. "Yes, yes I did. But what _I_ want to know is what _you're_ longing for."

He made to reply, but then Wanda said, "Found it!"

Vision gave me an appreciative nod. "Thank you, Miss Elizabeth."

"You're welcome," I replied easily.

James blinked, then shook his head. "You snuck that word right in there," he chuckled.

I gave an apologetic grin. "Sorry. In order to find the right pathway, it had to be activated."

He smiled softly. "It's okay. No need to apologize. Any more questions about the places I was looking at, or do you want to save the Google search for later?"

I glanced up at Vision, who mouthed, "Keep him distracted."

Nodding, I looked back at James and quirked my head to the side. "What area of town were you looking at?"

And thus, the operation went on. James told me about the lots he'd picked out— there were three, right now, that he really liked, and one in particularly had a view of the Hudson, but that was the furthest away from base, and he just wasn't so sure if he liked being so far.

I got so caught up in listening to him talk, that I honestly forgot what was going on until Wanda cleared her throat.

"We're done," she said decidedly.

James and I shared a look. "How…how do you feel?" I asked tentatively.

He closed his eyes to focus. "I don't…I can't tell," he admitted.

I took in a sharp breath, then looked over at Bruce. He gave the nod.

Swallowing, I squeezed James' hands. "We have to test it—"

"I know," he chuckled. "Trust me, I know how this all works by now."

I smiled sadly. "We don't have to if you don't want to."

James' eyes gazed into mine, and I knew he was weighing his options. "…I'll do it if you're out of the room."

My heart broke a bit, but I conceded. I knew he was scared for my safety, and he had every right to be. If this was what it took, then I would happily step out.

I rose up from my chair and came around to kiss his temple. "I'll see you on the other side," I murmured.

He gave me a calm smile, and that gave me the push to leave. I walked out, not looking back even as Bruce trailed behind me. The door shut, and I took in a deep breath as we watched through the glass.

Vision and Wanda took a position on each side of James, prepared to stop him if needed. I could practically hear the instructions all over again as Vision went through the usual steps. James closed his eyes and sat back in his chair. I tried to calm my anxious heart.

One by one, Vision began to go through the list of words.

And for the first time since 1943, nothing happened.

When they were done, James' eyes blinked open in shock. I saw him say something to the pair before his head whipped around to look at me. He grinned, and I wasted no time rushing back into the room and throwing my arms around his neck.

Tears were streaming down my face as we embraced, and I felt him let out a sob as he tightened his grip on me.

"They're gone, Eliza, they're gone," he choked out. "They don't effect me anymore."

I looked up at Vision and Wanda, who were smiling warmly at us. "Thank you," I mouthed. They simply nodded.

* * *

I couldn't keep a smile off my face as Bruce and I milled around the old experimentation chamber. We'd been told to clear it out— after all, there wasn't a need for it anymore, and the space was going to be repurposed for file storage.

My hands dropped another stack of papers into a box, and I hummed a little tune.

"It's good to see you back to your normal self again," Bruce commented idly from across our work station.

I let out a happy sigh. "I'm just glad it's all over," I told him, turning around to sort through a pile of miscellaneous things. "Oh, that reminds me— is Tony done with my lab results yet?"

My eyes scanned the stuff before me, and I began to sort them out, but then I paused. It took me a moment to realize that I hadn't yet received a reply. Instead, there was just dead silence.

I turned back around and tilted my head. "Bruce?"

The doctor seemed to shake himself out of a daze. "S-Sorry, yeah, what was it?"

"I was asking about my lab results," I repeated slowly.

He gave a little laugh. "Oh yeah, sorry, I— I spaced out for a, uh, moment…" he trailed off, scratching the back of his head. "They were fine, completely fine."

My hands gave a little sting, and I felt inclined to disagree, but I was more worried about how Bruce was acting. "And what about you? Are you okay?"

Bruce's eyes met mine, acknowledging that I had picked up on his odd behavior. He opened his mouth to speak, but then he let out a sigh. "It's just, well…these…experiments, they—" he swallowed, "—they haven't been good for my stress levels. I might need to take some time off, you know, to…to get back to normal."

My heart gave a little twist. "I'm so sorry, Bruce, I didn't think—"

He waved a hand. "It's fine, Eliza, don't worry about it. The big guy always needs me to take a vacation every now and then anyways," he chuckled bitterly. "Maybe Tony can get me back to that island we visited in February."

I nodded. "Do what you need to feel better, okay?"

Bruce gave me a wry grin. "Thanks, Eliza. You're as caring a friend as they come."

Smiling, I picked up a box and began to make my way out of the room, bumping his shoulder amiably as I went. "And so are you, doctor!" I joked.

He gave a little laugh, and I walked out. I missed the way his smile fell into a frown the second I left.


	30. Conclusion

**Conclusion**

DarylDixon'sLover: I like how you will always be my one reviewer who is constantly worried.

SummerMistedDragon: IT IS FOR REAL YOU'RE WELCOME!

MissAmieB: For now, it'll be done after the next chapter, but if I decide to continue (and have time to continue), then I'll definitely let you guys know!

chimpnsocks: Thank you! I wanted the conclusion to be just as satisfying as everything else.

guadalupe1992: Thank you, as always!

Rohirrim Girl 2187: You're on the right trail, so shhhhhhhh!

* * *

 _I nodded. "Do what you need to feel better, okay?"_

 _Bruce gave me a wry grin. "Thanks, Eliza. You're as caring a friend as they come."_

 _Smiling, I picked up a box and began to make my way out of the room, bumping his shoulder amiably as I went. "And so are you, doctor!" I joked._

 _He gave a little laugh, and I walked out. I missed the way his smile fell into a frown the second I left._

Dress on, sandal straps hooked, pearls draped, and tote bag in arm, I walked out of my room with a smile. I set off down the stairs and through the hallway in the direction of my office.

When I left the residential area, the incredible world of the Avengers opened up before me. I caught Ian's eye and waved. But he wasn't looking at me— the Darcy girl he'd told me about was at his side. They were chatting excitedly, and I watched when their hands bumped on accident, and he flushed. I snickered and kept moving.

Down the hall, the training rooms were on my right, and I glanced over to see T'Challa and Sam sparing. I waved cheerfully, effectively distracting T'Challa. Sam took the opportunity to land a solid punch. The king fell back onto the mats, and I rushed to open the door.

"Revenge is sweet," Sam was laughing when I walked in.

"T'Challa, I am so sorry!" I apologized quickly.

The king gave a chuckle. "It is alright, Miss Reynolds, the fault was mine."

I grinned bashfully. "Still, I'm sorry. While I'm here, though, you're both coming to the meeting at two, correct?"

They nodded, and I checked their names off on my clipboard. "Great, see you then!"

I turned on my heel and carried on with my mission, making a right at the end of the hall. After a journey down a black corridor, a wide white hanger was revealed before me, and I looked up to see Vision and Wanda above my head.

"—you're doing excellent Wanda," the android encouraged softly. "Continue your deep breaths, they will help stabilize your energy—"

"Viz, I know," Wanda laughed. Her eyes opened, glowing bright red, and she looked down to give me a smile. "How's James?" she asked knowingly.

I smiled back, watching as the pair slowly lowered to the ground. "He's been really good," I nodded. "I still can't thank you enough for what you guys did."

Vision inclined his head. "It is an honor to be of help to a friend such as yourself, Miss Elizabeth."

"He means 'you're welcome'," Wanda teased affectionately.

With one more thank you, I continued onward, passing through the crowds of agents, diplomats, and scientists with learned skill. Large windows were coming up on my right, and I was unsurprised to see Tony out on the tarmac running flight drills. Rhodey, Thor, and Dr. Strange all stood in a line— Thor in particular looked ready to race. At that moment, Peter swung by with a bow and arrow in his arms, and I burst out laughing when I saw Natasha and Clint running after him.

Chuckling, I shook my head and looked down at my notes, only to see that I had acquired a passenger.

I stopped walking and quirked an eyebrow. "Seriously, Scott? Again?"

The miniature Scott Lang hopped off and grew in size before my eyes. "You know me," he shrugged.

I rolled my eyes as he left, then turned when I heard footsteps approaching from behind.

"We really need to get a lockdown on that guy," Agent Coulson stated. "He keeps messing with my computer when I'm away."

I snorted, handing him a file from my bag before we continued our walk. "I don't think I'll ever get used to things around here."

Agent Coulson gave me an appraising look. "And is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"Good," I decided. "Keeps things interesting, that's for sure."

He nodded, glancing over the file before he turned to go down a different hall. "Keep up the good work, Reynolds!" he called.

"I swear that man wants to make you an agent," a voice said to my right.

My head whirled around, and I grinned. "Oh? And what's so bad about that?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "For one, it's dangerous—"

"Says the guy who gave me a suit," I coughed.

He mock glared at me. "—and two, we need you here, not gallivanting around the world on a killing spree."

Now it was my turn to roll my eyes. "Oh please, Tony, agents do more than that. I could be in a specialized field."

The genius held his hands up. "I'm just saying, we like you here at home base," he said, throwing an arm around my shoulders and squeezing me into his side. "Makes it feel like home."

I stuck a tongue out. "Wow, this whole wedding thing really does have you all lovey dovey," I joked.

Tony ruffled my hair. "You betcha. See you around!" he said, turning a corner to go to his lab.

"Meeting at two!" I reminded him.

"I know!"

I laughed and made the final turn into my office. There was never a quiet day around here, and I loved it. I settled down in my desk and looked over my schedule. Thor was bringing in his brother at ten, lunch was going to be with Princess Shuri and Agent Ross to discuss outreach plans, the meeting was at two, and then I had to leave slightly early to get ready for my date tonight.

I wrinkled my nose. It was going to be a busy day— better go ahead and get started on those files.

I'd been working for about an hour when I got a knock on the door. It opened, and Benjamin bounded in happily. James entered a moment later with a silly pout on his lips, and I stifled a laugh.

"How was it?" I asked knowingly.

"Steve still thinks I'm sloppy," James huffed, coming around to press a slow kiss to my lips. I hummed contentedly, and he pulled back with a smile. "I thought I'd stop by because you always cheer me up."

Benjamin came around and put his paws in my lap, and I giggled. "You're so cheesy, James."

He kissed my nose. "I know. Date still on for tonight?"

I checked my phone for notifications, but none were to be found. "As far as I know," I shrugged. Benjamin let out a little whine, and I went to scratch his ears. "But I'm shocked Steve hasn't found an excuse to cancel yet. He was freaking out all day yesterday."

James shook his head. "It's been over eighty years, and the guy still can't go on a double date."

I lifted a hand to poke him lightly. "What, like you're a Casanova yourself?"

A little smirk appeared on his lips, and before I could react, he leaned down and snuck a kiss onto my neck. "I like to think so," he teased.

Flustered, I pushed him away, and he laughed. Benjamin left to lay down on the floor, and James leaned against the back of my chair. I shook my head and returned my attention back to the files before me.

"No wonder Tony makes jokes about inappropriate office behavior," I muttered. I went to reach for a new file, but stopped when a sting ran through my hand.

James hummed, "Still hurting?"

I sighed and held them up for him to see. "Yeah. It's not as often anymore, but they still look bad."

He frowned and took my hands gently in his. The resulting red patchy skin of the chemical burn was still there, marking exactly where I'd touched the uranium. As softly as he could, James pressed a kiss to the center of each palm.

"You love me as I am, I love you as you are," he promised. "Okay?"

I grinned sadly. "Okay."

James took in my expression. He leaned up to give me another kiss, then let me go. "I'll see you tonight, okay? I love you."

I managed a smile, then reached up to pull his lips down to mine again. "I love you, too."


	31. Omission

**Omission**

DarylDixon'sLover: Thank you! Have one more cute moment to end things!

SummerMisted: Glad you loved it!

guadalupe1992: Thanks!

MrsGigastarx: Again, best of luck, and I hope we continue to inspire one another as we move forward!

Aurror sister of Morro: I would love to show that scene with Loki, but I feared that it would take attention away from the story (because let's be real, Loki just has that effect).

* * *

 _"You love me as I am, I love you as you are," he promised. "Okay?"_

 _I grinned sadly. "Okay."_

 _James took in my expression. He leaned up to give me another kiss, then let me go. "I'll see you tonight, okay? I love you."_

 _I managed a smile, then reached up to pull his lips down to mine again. "I love you, too."_

I was practically bouncing up and down by the time we got to the restaurant, and James couldn't stop chuckling.

"Shut up, I haven't seen Anna since college," I said, punching his arm. "Plus I wanna see how much we can embarrass Steve!"

A sly grin appeared on his face. "Not _too_ much, but just enough," he suggested. He stepped forward and opened the door for me. I took his hand as I passed, dragging him into the restaurant with me.

My eyes scanned the room, and it took only a moment to locate the pair. Steve was smiling bigger than I'd ever seen before, even with a light blush dusting his face. Anna was laughing at something he said, wiping tears away from her eyes. After she calmed down, she glanced over and waved.

I practically ran over to the table with James in tow. "It's been forever!" I greeted, giving her a hug.

"Seriously, though," she agreed cheerfully. "I didn't think this was how our after-college reunion would be."

I snorted and took a seat. "That's an understatement. Oh, this is James, by the way," I motioned to him.

Anna quirked a grin. "Oh trust me, I've heard all about him from Steve."

I rolled my eyes. "I swear, it's like they never shut up about each other—"

"Hey!" Steve called.

"It's true!" Anna and I chorused.

James chuckled. "You know they're right, Steve."

Steve made a face. "I mean—"

Anna put a finger to his lips. "We're right, Steve."

With that, he shut his mouth, and I held in a laugh.

"So, how have things been since forever ago?" Anna continued nonchalantly.

I gave a shrug. "Worked with a journalism blog for a while, got hired by the Avengers, now I do top secret stuff. You know, casual."

"Same," Anna drawled, and we burst out laughing. Once she sobered up, she asked, "So I guess you can't tell me what's been going on lately? I can't get anything out of Steve."

I pretended to zip my lips. "Can't say a word— it was in the paperwork when I signed." Anna looked annoyed, and I grinned. "But don't worry, there are contingencies. When you get engaged, he can start telling you stuff."

"Eliza!" Steve groaned, face going red.

Anna looked unsurprised, but she did lean over to give Steve a consoling kiss on the cheek. "I see. Any other loopholes I should be aware of?"

I grinned. "Well—"

Suddenly, James leaned over the table and motioned to Steve. "We're not going to make it out of this dinner alive," he mock-whispered conspiratorially.

"We should call for backup," Steve whispered back.

Anna and I cracked up laughing, and I finally reached for a menu. James scooted close and wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"I love you," he chuckled into my ear.

I gave him an affectionate tap on his nose. "I love you too, silly."

I took a moment to look over the menu, and after I found what I want, I put it down and considered the happenings of the day. I helped a lost soul find hope, I served my country and my planet, I helped a nation reach out, I made plans for peace. I had colleagues who encouraged me, friends who cared about me, and a boyfriend who would stand by my side no matter what.

I glanced down at the marred skin on my hands, and for the first time since the incident, I found that I didn't care. I was happy, James was happy, and that was all that really mattered.

Smiling, I leaned forward and rested my chin in my hand. "So, what were you two giggling about when we walked in?"

Anna snorted. "Well, Steve mentioned something about waking up to ants infesting his room—"

* * *

"Video feed connected?"

"Yup."

"Secure line, right?"

Bruce tossed the billionaire genius a terse look. "Obviously."

Tony had the decency to look ashamed. "Sorry, it's just—" he swallowed. "Sensitive subject matter. We have to make sure it stays quiet."

"You think I don't know that?" Bruce bit back.

A knowing look in his eyes, Tony placed a careful hand on the scientist's shoulder. "Stay calm, buddy," he instructed. "I know you're tense, and you can leave as quick as you want after— I'll even give you one of my jets— but we _have_ to talk about this."

Bruce took in a steadying breath. A moment later, he nodded. "Right. Sorry."

Tony clapped a hand on his back. "No apology needed, doc."

An anxious silence fell over them. Bruce swallowed hard, his fists clenching and unclenching as a thousand thoughts ran through his head.

"What do you—" he paused, considering his words. "How could this have _happened_?"

Frowning, Tony gave a shrug. "She touched raw weapons grade uranium. We knew there would be consequences."

Bruce shook his head. "I just didn't think it'd be like this."

"Yeah, me neither," Tony sighed. A noise sounded, and he looked up at the monitor. "Hold up, princess on the line. Ready to go?"

The scientist didn't reply— he just pushed the button.

Princess Shuri appeared on the screen before them, worried lines creasing her face. "Dr. Stark, Dr. Banner," she greeted.

"Princess," Tony nodded. "Let's cut to the chase— what have you found out?"

The princess' frown deepened. "Nothing you'll like to hear, I'm afraid. As you are aware, in order for it to be properly utilized, vibranium needs a catalyst. The catalyst is chosen based off the use of the vibranium required— lower grade chemicals for clothing than weapons, for example," she explained.

The two doctors nodded, and she continued.

"We have never used uranium as a catalyst before because it is too unstable and, in theory, too powerful. Putting them together would create a bomb more destructive than we have ever seen."

Bruce's head lifted quickly. "So? What did you find?"

Shuri shook her head. "It was just as I said," she replied. "Even the tiniest bit caused a chain reaction that we could barely contain. Concerning Miss Reynolds, it is hard to say why this has happened because we cannot measure how much uranium or vibranium she was exposed to."

"Well, we know it got into her blood stream when Barnes hit her," Tony said.

"Not to mention the stitches," Bruce added on.

"They have never been combined before, not like this," Shuri stated. "The consequences of combining these elements with a human are completely unknown, which may explain the mutation of the cells in the blood sample."

Bruce began pacing back and forth, rubbing his forehead. "So why hasn't she just…exploded?" he questioned. "What's the catch? Obviously there's something else going on here."

The princess shook her head soberly. "I do not know."

Tony stared at the ground. "…maybe it's best if no one knows."

Bruce's head whipped up. "Tony, we _have_ to tell her, we can't just keep this from her," he agonized. "That's— that's—"

"Horrible, I know," Tony cut him off. "But I think her knowing might be worse. Do we really want her to have to sign the accords? Go through training? To be like us, on the outside? To get involved in all this, more than she already has?"

The room fell silent.

Tony shook his head resignedly. "No, keeping this quiet is for the best," he decided.

"We still have to register her, Tony," Bruce reminded him. "It's the law."

"We don't even know what powers she could possess," Tony scoffed. "Who knows what we even register her _as_."

Bruce stared at him. After a moment, Tony sighed. "Fine. We put it at the highest level of security. No one knows except for us three and Coulson, not even her," he insisted. "We keep this quiet, die with the secret if we have to. Eliza's…" he clenched his teeth. "Eliza's been through enough. She doesn't need anything else to go wrong."

 **The End**

 **…or is it?**

* * *

 **Muahahahaha, I just can't help myself! For now, this saga has come to a close, but I will definitely let you guys know if I decide to make a third part! Thank you so much for all of your love and support for this story! It means the world to me each time I get a review.  
**


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